Fate By Design
by stephfan6511
Summary: An AU story where Stephanie Plum is living in Miami. It takes us through college and into adulthood with a unique set of twists and turns that will lead to her eventual HEA. Many original characters and some new ones join the fun. Babe/MM friendship story. Does contain Drama and Angst!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: This is my first attempt at an AU story. I absolutely love the series, even though I wish JE would pair Steph and Ranger together and leave it that way. I just wanted to have a little fun and pretend they are the same, but different. I hope you enjoy my fun. Thanks to Cristi0819 for previewing this chapter for me and checking for mistakes. And thanks to Margaret Fowler for encouraging me to write another story. I hope you all like!**

**Ch. 1 – Fate by Design**

**Early August, 2000**

The end of the month could not get here fast enough. My name is Stephanie Plum. I'm 5' 7", about 120 pounds and I have shoulder length brown hair that is crazy curly with piercing blue eyes (my best feature in my opinion). I'm 18 years old and just graduated high school this past May. At the end of the month I'm starting college at the University of Miami and I couldn't be more excited.

High school was okay, but I couldn't wait to get out of the Burg. The area of town I grew up in, Chambersburg, NJ, fondly referred to as the Burg is like a small town within a large city. Everyone knew everyone and made it their business to know everyone else's business. I've experienced my business being everyone else's my whole life but never had it been more humiliating than when I lost my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry after hours when I was 16 years old. Joseph Morelli sweet talked me out of my panties and then proceeded to write about it all over bathroom walls before taking off for the Navy. The big jerk!

I was grounded for 3 months and because of some unspoken rule, I hadn't had a date since. Apparently I belonged to him…whatever! Now, I'm just weeks away from heading to beautiful, sunny Miami. I chose a college that offered a variety of programs because I was still completely undecided in what I wanted to major in, but knew that I wanted to be close to the beach. I also knew I wanted to be more than a comfortable drive away from my parents. Don't get me wrong, I love my family, I do. But they drive me nuts. My Mom has been "encouraging" me to become the traditional Burg woman practically since birth. And I have been avidly avoiding it since then as well. Doing things like playing softball instead of taking ballet and jumping off the garage roof trying to fly, to try to make my mother understand that I wasn't traditional or Burg, at least not in the way that she wanted me to be.

I thought my mother was going to blow a gasket when I told her I had been accepted to the University of Miami, but thankfully that bit of news was overshadowed by the fact that my older sister Valerie had just gotten engaged to Steve and they wanted to have the big Burg wedding at the end of the summer. With only a few months of planning, all thoughts of where Stephanie was going to college quickly went away and the piles of wedding magazines became the focus. Daddy acted a little out of character, wrapping me in a big hug and whispering, "Proud of you, Pumpkin" in my ear before heading back to the living room to watch spring training on the television. I just grabbed my glove, a bat and headed down to the park. There were always pick up games on the weekends and I couldn't think of anything better than losing myself in a game of softball.

I spent a lot of time at the park that spring and summer, avoiding wedding planning chaos. I tried on my bridesmaid dress when requested and offered my opinion on the hideous shade of green that my sister chose, but when I was met with the Burg glare from both my mother and sister I decided to keep my opinions to myself. Smile and nod became my motto. Everything would have gone well if I hadn't gotten a black eye being tagged at home plate two days before Val's wedding. Of course, I was safe, but my mom and sister didn't seem to care about that. All that mattered is that I would ruin the photos for my sister's big day. It didn't matter that I had covered the black eye completely with make up and no one could even tell. My mother knew it was there and that was all that mattered.

I was afraid all the attention would turn to me and the fact that I would no longer be living in New Jersey as soon as the wedding was over, but then Val and Steve announced that they were moving to California because Steve had gotten a job at some big finance company. My mother was devastated and didn't put down the iron or the Jack Daniels for a month straight and after that, didn't seem to care that I was leaving soon.

_**Two weeks later…**_

The day has finally arrived! Moving day. I had loaded up everything I could fit into my P.O.S. Ford Escort, which was surprisingly quite a lot, and headed out. The Escort was all I could afford, because the money that my mom had promised to me for help with a car went to the photographer for Val's wedding. Grandma and Grandpa Mazur gave me what they could, and that helped me purchase the Escort. Oh well, I was pretty sure it would get me to Miami and after that, I didn't much care. I kissed and hugged my Grandma and Grandpa Mazur goodbye. Grandma whispered in my ear to enjoy the eye candy for her too, and Grandpa told me to study hard before heading back inside their house. They were the most in love couple I had ever seen and I was going to miss them the most.

I would miss my Daddy the second most. He was always in my corner. Mom handed me a brown bag with some lunch in it, told me not to embarrass her and headed inside. Dad told me to ignore her, that she was still in mourning because her one chance at a perfect Burg daughter was now "living it up in Hollywood" and she was still a little depressed. I couldn't suppress the laughter. Val was living in San Diego, not Hollywood, but I guess the sentiment was still the same. She wasn't there for Mom to brag about and show off to everyone what a great job she had done mothering her. Maybe one day they would return to Trenton and all would be right in the world. I gave my Dad one last quick hug and kiss and jumped in my car and headed toward Miami and my future. Whatever that future was, I knew one thing for certain…it wouldn't be the Burg.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Ok folks, what do you think? Are you interested? Want me to continue? Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Oh my goodness, thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the first chapter and encouraged me to continue! You are the best. And for those of you who read and didn't review…thank you too! Just for the fact that you are reading my story. It makes me really happy. If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions, please feel free to shoot them my way. By the way…please forgive any inaccuracies, but I've never been to Miami, nor did I attend the University of Miami, so most of this is just made up. Enjoy!**

_Previously:_

_The day has finally arrived! Moving day. I had loaded up everything I could fit into my P.O.S. Ford Escort, which was surprisingly quite a lot, and was headed out. The Escort was all I could afford, and the money that my mom had promised to me for help with a car went to the photographer for Val's wedding. Oh well, I was pretty sure it would get me to Miami and after that, I didn't much care. I kissed and hugged my Grandma and Grandpa Mazur goodbye. Grandma whispered in my ear to enjoy the eye candy for her too, and Grandpa told me to study hard before heading back inside their house. They were the most in love couple I had ever seen and I was going to miss them the most. _

_I would miss my Daddy the second most. He was always in my corner. Mom handed me a brown bag with some lunch in it, told me not to embarrass her and headed inside. Dad told me to ignore her, that she was still in mourning because her one chance at a perfect Burg daughter was now "living it up in Hollywood" and she was still a little depressed. I couldn't suppress the laughter. Val was living in San Diego, not Hollywood, but I guess the sentiment was still the same. She wasn't there for Mom to brag about and show off to everyone what a great job she had done mothering her. Maybe one day they would return to Trenton and all would be right in the world. I gave my Dad one last quick hug and kiss and jumped in my car and headed toward Miami and my future. Whatever that future was, I knew one thing for certain…it wouldn't be the Burg_.

**Ch. 2 – Fate by Design**

As I headed out of the Burg, I swung by Mary Lou's house to say goodbye. Mary Lou has been my best friend since grade school and I hated knowing I wasn't going to be close by. Mary Lou was staying in Trenton and going to a community college just this side of Newark while her boyfriend Lenny finished up trade school. I was certain they would be married and having a baby within two years. She wanted to be a stay at home Mom with a houseful of kids. In fact, my mother often asked why I wasn't more like Mary Lou. I knew she loved Lenny and that she would be living the life she wanted to and in that aspect, I was a lot like her, I just wasn't ready for marriage and a bunch of kids. After a lot of tears and a few hugs, I was on my way.

I was just passing the Cineplex, right by the highway, when who did I spot, but Joe Morelli. I had heard he was back in town on leave from the Navy, and had been glad that I had avoided him and could leave without speaking. Unfortunately, the still pissed off 16 year old inside of me had other things in mind and before I knew it my car had jumped the curb and knocked Morelli on his ass. I hopped out of the car and walked around to the front and was greeted with a slightly pale Morelli with a leg that was DEFINITELY broken and one pissed off look on his face.

"Jesus Plum, what's your problem?" he screamed at me.

"Oh, gee, I'm sorry Joe. My foot slipped," I answered in the best, innocently sweet voice I could manage with a huge smile on my face.

"Slipped my ass," he responded in a very pissed off tone.

"Oh relax. Hey, maybe you'll get lucky and one of the nurses down at St. Francis will give you something warm, sweet and good to eat," I shot at him with my best Burg glare as I turned to get back in my car. I rolled down the passenger window and shouted out, "Catch you later, Morelli," as I headed out of town.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Finally…Miami! I felt like I had been in the car for days on end, and I've eaten more junk food in the last two days than I normally do in a week, which is quite a lot. I'm a bit of a junk food junkie, I admit it, but I just love sugar. It helps to calm me, if that makes any sense at all. I had spent the night last night somewhere along the way. I was either barely still in North Carolina, or just inside South Carolina. I honestly couldn't tell you, just that it was a Motel 6 and that I knew if I spent even five more minutes in the car I was going to fall asleep at the wheel. I think I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. After a solid 6 hours, much less than I would normally like to have, I woke up, grabbed a hot shower and then headed out. I swung through a Dunkin Donuts drive-thru for an extra large coffee and a half dozen donuts to tide me over until lunch time, or snack time, who am I trying to kid.

I arrived at the campus at 5 in the evening, and I couldn't believe how beautiful it was. There was a smell of salt water in the air. I'm not sure how far the University is from the ocean, but I know it is a lot closer than I was in Trenton. I love the ocean. It is so beautiful, calming, and massive. It reminds me that there is a whole lot more world out there than the Burg, and I'm so glad that I get to experience it.

I pulled up in front of the freshmen dorms and parked my Escort in the first open spot I saw. I'm guessing most people moved in earlier in the day, so the parking lot wasn't as crowded as I thought it might be. I found the front desk, registered, got the info for my room and headed back to my car to start moving all the stuff I had crammed in there up to my dorm room. Seventh floor, last room on the end, and I had a feeling it was going to take me a LOT of trips up and down. Thank goodness for the elevator.

As I was digging around in the backseat floorboards after my third trip up to my room, I was greeted with a wolf whistle. I suppose I had it coming, being on a college campus, bent over at the waist in a pair of booty shorts and a tank top, but give me a break it is August in Miami and it is freakin' hot out here. I stood up, turned around and gave the gorgeous guy who whistled at me my best Jersey girl eye roll, hands on hip and a look that screamed, "seriously". He returned my stare with a gorgeous smile that nearly made me melt and it took all I had to maintain my attitude.

"Hey, Beautiful. Need some help?"

"That's ok, I got it", I answered. What the heck was I thinking? Here was this gorgeous guy offering to help haul all my heavy junk up to the 7th floor and I was turning him down. Thankfully, this guy didn't accept rejection well.

"Come on, Beautiful. Let me and some of my buddies give you a hand," he replied. Buddies? What buddies, I thought to myself. I glanced around and didn't see anyone else standing around in the near vicinity.

"Um…are these imaginary buddies?" I queried with a little sass left in my voice.

He let out a bark of laughter and replied, "No gorgeous. They are finishing up upstairs helping some chick on the 5th floor carry up her television and mini-fridge. They'll be down in a second."

"So what, you just go around looking for girls to help unload their stuff in return for what? "Payment" later?" I asked, and I know my snippy Jersey tone came through on that one. What can I say, it had been a long couple of days and I was definitely on the cranky side.

He laughed at me…again! "No, Beautiful. I'm part of the Fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon and one of our service projects is to help Freshmen move into the dorms. We've been out here helping guys and girls all day. No price," he answered with a smile.

Before I had a chance to sheepishly apologize, he spoke again. "But if you want to figure out a way to pay me later, Beautiful, I'm sure we could figure something out." I wanted to deck him, but the way he stood there waggling his eyebrows at me, I couldn't help but laugh at him.

With a smile I stuck my hand out and said, "I'm Stephanie. I'd be happy to have you help me, but I think I'll stick to the 'no price' part."

He returned my smile with his own and took my hand and said, "Lester Santos. You can call me Les."

He scooped up boxes out of my back seat, and I finally managed to find the computer mouse that had disappeared under the back of the front seat, and got my laptop that Grandma and Grandpa Mazur had given me as a graduation gift, and a box of shoes and headed inside with Les.

"So Stephanie, where are you from?" Les asked as we waited on the elevator.

"Trenton, New Jersey. You?"

"Jersey? I've got family that lives in Newark. Me, I grew up here in Miami with my Abuela after my folks passed in a car crash when I was about 10."

Woah. Serious stuff. "Gosh, I'm so sorry."

"That's ok, Beautiful. It was a long time ago and I've moved on. Plus, my Abuela was great with me. She kept me in line. Well, as best she could anyway," he said with another eyebrow waggle.

I couldn't help but laugh again. I think I'm gonna like this guy. He was funny, open and did I mention hot? Les is about 6 foot 3 with sandy blonde hair that is short and spiky on top. He has the most gorgeous green eyes I believe I've ever seen and they have a sparkle to them when he smiles, which is often. He is obviously physically fit, but not a lot of muscle. He definitely looks like an athlete and he has a very nice ass. He is definitely someone I wouldn't mind spending a great deal of time with. Yep, I'm definitely going to like Miami.

"So, Les, what are you studying?" I asked as we made our way down the hall to my room.

"I'm a criminal justice major, but I've actually been giving a lot of thought into joining the Army. Mi Abuela doesn't have a lot of money, so even though I have a little money from when my parents died, I'm not getting a lot of help with college expenses. I've gotten a couple of scholarships, but I also have a few loans already and I don't want to come out of college with a ton of loans to pay back. My Dad was in the Army and from what I remember, always spoke fondly of his time serving. Said it really 'straightened him out' and that he made 'the best friends of his life' in the Army. I just want to do something he would be proud of."

"Sounds to me like you've given it a lot of thought. When would you join?" I asked as I unlocked my door.

"I'm thinking about signing up in December. From the couple of recruiters I've talked to they said I wouldn't have to start basic training until end of May, so I could finish up the year of school. That way when I get out, I'll only need two years to finish my degree."

I wasn't sure what to say. I just met this guy and I already found myself worrying about him. I just looked at him and smiled.

We only had to make two more trips to my car thanks to his fraternity brothers that materialized to help. Rob and Aaron weren't nearly as talkative or good looking as Les but their extra arms came in handy for getting my car unloaded quickly. They took off right away after the final load, but Les hung around and helped me organize some of the room furniture.

I can't imagine sleeping with my bed right next to a complete stranger, so he helped me to organize the beds so they were on opposite sides of the room and we still had access to our wardrobes and desks. The room was almost as small as my room back home and I had to share it with another person. I had no idea where I was going to put all of my shoes.

"You know, Beautiful, if we put your bed on cinderblocks, you would have more storage underneath the bed." Ok, does this guy have ESP? I thought it was a brilliant idea, so we headed out together to find them.

A few hours later I was all unpacked and even though I needed a stepladder to get onto the bed, all of my shoes were out of boxes and lined up for easy picking. Les invited me to grab a pizza and hang out at his frat house with him and since I had never turned down a pizza in my life, I agreed.

Loaded down with a six-pack of Coke and an extra large pizza with everything on it, we headed into his frat house. He introduced me to a few of his "frat brothers" that were hanging around and then showed me to his room. At first, I was afraid he was going to ask for that alluded to "payment" from earlier, but he just flopped down on a beanbag chair and dug into his piece of pizza after putting on The Goonies. It had been a favorite of mine as a child and we sat and ate as we laughed through the movie together. I was so relieved to have an instant friend.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Please take a second and let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate it. Also, please forgive any inaccuracies re: Army and basic training/boot camp. I'm doing research and trying to make sure I'm correct with everything, but if anything is wrong, you can let me know and I'd be happy to fix it. Thanks! Amy**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Thank you all so very much for your support. It means the world to me. I so hope you will all stick with me, and if you have any thoughts or ideas, don't hesitate to PM me. Also, please forgive any inaccuracies, but I've never been to Miami, nor did I attend the University of Miami, so most of this either resembles my college campus or is just made up. Enjoy! Oh, and a quick thanks to Margaret Fowler. You're the best. **

_Previously:_

_Loaded down with a six-pack of Coke and an extra large pizza with everything on it, we headed into his frat house. He introduced me to a few of his "frat brothers" that were hanging around and then showed me to his room. At first, I was afraid he was going to ask for that alluded to "payment" from earlier, but he just flopped down on a beanbag chair and dug into his piece of pizza after putting on The Goonies. It had been a favorite of mine as a child and we sat and ate as we laughed through the movie together. I was so relieved to have an instant friend._

**Ch. 3**

Several hours later Les walked me back to my dorm room. When we had left after unloading and unpacking around 8 p.m., my roommate still hadn't arrived. When we returned around 1 a.m., it looked like a bomb had gone off in the room and the other bed was occupied. I guess she had arrived.

I stepped back into the hallway to tell Les goodnight so we didn't wake my roommate. "Thanks for all of your help today, and for the company. I had a great time," I said.

"Me too, Beautiful. Want to hang out again sometime soon?" He asked me with the cutest lopsided grin.

"Sure. Give me your number and I'll give you a call." I slipped back inside the room to grab a post-it note for him to jot it down on. I had a dorm phone, though I was unsure of the number, so I couldn't give him the number yet. I would have to dig out the paperwork I had been given when I registered.

He handed me back the post-it with his number written on it and told me to keep in touch, and with a quick kiss on my cheek he left. I couldn't help but stare at his backside as he walked away. It was a very nice ass!

I grabbed a towel, some sleep clothes, and my shower caddy and headed down the hall to the bathroom. I desperately needed a shower to wash the long day off before climbing into bed. The whole communal bathroom thing sucked, but I was going to do well to afford college with the help of the scholarships I received, there was no way I could afford an apartment in Miami. After a quick shower, I towel dried my hair, brushed my teeth and headed back to my room to get some much needed sleep.

What felt like minutes after my head hit the pillow, I awoke to what I thought was my dorm room falling down around me. After prying my eyes open I realized, nope, it was just my roommate rearranging her side of the room. I guess Les and I hadn't put things where she wanted them. I gave my alarm clock a quick glance to see that it was 6:30 IN THE MORNING! I hadn't even gotten 5 solid hours of sleep. If she continued to be a morning person, I might have to request a new room. I might have involuntarily groaned as I turned over and buried my head under my pillow.

"Oh my gosh, are you awake? Hey…hey? Please be awake. I'm sorry, I know it is early and I tried to wait up for you, but if you are even slightly awake, please help me." My mystery roommate rambled on without taking a breath.

"Ugh" I said as I sat up and blinked my eyes against the blinding sun coming in through the window. Maybe Miami was a bad idea. I should have gone to school in Seattle where nearly every day is overcast.

"Oh thank goodness. Can you please help me move this desk?"

"What's wrong with where it is?" I croaked out.

"I'm so sorry, its just my parents will be here in less than 30 minutes and my mother is a nut about Feng Shui and if my back is facing the window it is supposed to mean something bad and I really can't handle a lecture right now. The fact that I'm living more than 600 miles away is bad enough, but if she thinks I'm living all "willy nilly" as she likes to say, I may never get them to go back home!"

I glanced around the room and noticed that what had looked like a war zone earlier this morning, now looked completely organized. I couldn't believe it, and yet was thankful I had managed to sleep through her cleaning until now. Reluctantly I hopped down off my bed and helped her adjust the desk. She added a bamboo plant to the corner, and then we made our beds quickly and had barely finished getting dressed as someone knocked on our door.

My roommate answered the door as I finished pulling my incredibly wild curls into a messy bun on the top of my head. The two people that walked in weren't quite what I was expecting as the parents of the mousey blonde that had been running around our room for the past 25 minutes like a chicken with its head cut off. They seemed very well polished and their clothing screamed money. I suddenly felt incredibly inadequate in my cotton white shorts and navy blue tank top.

I guess I hadn't noticed until now that my roommate was dressed much nicer than I was. She was in a knee length flowery skirt that seemed to flow gently down her legs and a white short sleeved sweater with lace along the collar and a pair of light pink flats. In all honesty, she kind of reminded me of Valerie, except her hair was longer. Her straight, blonde hair was pulled up into a perfect ponytail without even a single fly-away, and the end of it made a perfect curl. Even though I knew better, it looked as if she had spent hours getting ready. Man!

Returning my gaze to her parents I realized I had missed half of the conversation just taking in their appearance and they must have addressed me in some way because all three of them were looking at me as if they expected an answer from me. I shook my head slightly trying to remove the cobwebs sneaking in and apologized. "I'm sorry, I'm not quite awake yet and I wasn't paying attention. I'm Stephanie," I started and extended my hand. My mother would be quite proud that my Burg manners were still somewhat intact after such little sleep.

"Beatrice, dear," my roommate's mother returned shaking my hand. She shook it like I was going to hand her something icky, her hand barely touching my own. "This is Thomas. We are Annabelle's parents."

Aha! So my roommate has a name.

"Nice to meet you. Annabelle and I haven't had much chance to talk yet, so she hasn't said where you are from." I said hoping to carry the conversation and get an answer for the southern accent.

"We're from Atlanta, dear," she said as turned from me to address Annabelle. "Darling are you ready to go for breakfast?"

She had no more than mentioned the thought of breakfast when my stomach spoke up loudly. 'If Annabelle isn't hungry, I sure am,' I thought to myself. Beatrice turned her head and gave me a disgusted look. I couldn't decide if it was from my stomach speaking up for itself or if I had spoken my thoughts out loud. That was a bad habit I had. After returning her gaze to Annabelle I let out a small sigh of relief.

Annabelle's dad, Thomas, hadn't said two words since he stepped in the door, but after the "warm" reception from Beatrice, I wasn't in a big hurry to engage him in conversation. Annabelle gave her mother a nod and a quiet, "Yes, Mother" and they headed out the door. Just before closing the door, Annabelle gave me a sheepish smile and a small wave.

Now that I had food on my mind, my stomach spoke up again. Since there was no way I was going to be able to go back to sleep, I threw on some tennis shoes, grabbed my purse and my keys and headed out to find some food.

I quickly found what must be a student store, which acted like a convenience store, only directly on campus. I grabbed a pack of donuts and a bottle of water and decided I should acquaint myself with the campus before classes started on Monday.

I pulled my schedule out of my bag and proceeded to walk around finding all of the buildings where I would be attending class. At least I had a good idea of where I needed to be when the time came and I was a little less nervous navigating the huge campus. After all my classes' buildings were located, I just continued to walk around the campus admiring the beauty of it and checking out the different sports facilities. I found the football field, and noticed that the team was practicing. I'd done a little research and knew that team was expected to have a good season.

Next I found the "events center" where I'm assuming basketball is played and possibly concerts held on campus. It was huge. I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I'm sure I would take in a game or two. You know, school spirit and all. I continued walking and stumbled upon the baseball and softball fields. Now this, this is where I would be whenever possible. I loved to play, and even though I'm not good enough to play on the college team, I would definitely be out in support. After staring at the fields for a few minutes, I heard laughter and cheering coming from somewhere off in the distance and decided I would go check it out. As I came around the corner I took in an amazing sight. The sign said Intramural fields, and there were clearly several types of fields there. Different groups were already using them and I couldn't believe the amount of people up this early on a Saturday! There was a group that was playing soccer on one of the fields. But what really had my attention was the softball game going on on the furthest field. I couldn't make out very many faces from this distance, but it was obvious that there were both girls and guys out there. I headed over to watch.

As I neared the field, the guy in center field gave a loud whistle. I turned my head to look and noticed it was Les. I shot him my best smile and pointed to the bleachers so he knew I would hang around until he was finished in the field. It was a quick three outs and Les ran off the field, jumped the little fence and gave me a quick hug before joining me on the bleachers for a minute.

"What are you doing up so early, Beautiful?"

"My roommate was up at the crack of dawn moving her furniture around screeching about Feng Shui and begging me to help her. Then her parents came in and whisked her off to breakfast. I figured since I was already up anyways, I would walk around and check out the campus. What are you doing?"

"Playing softball," came is quick reply.

"Smartass! I can see that. Why so early? And who are all these people?"

"Well, a bunch of the guys are from my fraternity and the majority of the girls are from one of the sororities, Delta Delta Delta. Hey, are you going to join one?"

"One what?"

"A sorority?"

"Oh. Me? No. I'm pretty social, but I don't think I could afford the dues. I'm going to have to get a job just so I can eat the way it is." I said with a smile.

"I know what you mean, Beautiful. I have a part time job too, that I work during the week. It is pretty great, I could see if they need any extra help," Les offered.

"What is it?" I was so hoping it was something I would be interested in because the idea of job hunting was slightly daunting.

"I actually work at one of the local elementary schools in an after school program. It is what they call a high-risk school, and they are prone to grow up and get into trouble. We start at 3:00 when school lets out. We help them with homework, play on the playground, I sneak in a little advice to keep the older ones out of trouble. It really is pretty great. And the kids are fantastic. Most of them come from broken homes, and the parents all work so they don't seem to get a lot of individual attention at home. So the fact that these "adults" are playing with them and paying attention to them makes them all pretty happy kids. And, it is all paid for with some grant money, so the pay is pretty good. We are done around 6, after the kids are fed dinner. You want me to check into it for you?"

I just stared at him. This guy is fantastic. Not only is he incredibly good looking, but he works with children and is excited about it. I cleared my throat and said, "I would love that! Is there something I need to do to be qualified to work with school children?"

"You have to go to a three hour training, watch a video, take a super easy quiz, have a background check and you're good to go," he replied.

"That sounds simple enough. Just let me know when and where and I'm there."

"Great, Beautiful, we could even carpool if you want. We could probably walk from campus but it isn't the best area to be in at night without the security of your car. A lot of gangs hang out down there."

I gulped. He totally could have left that part out. "Carpooling sounds perfect."

We had just finished our discussion when Les's teammates were yelling from the dugout that he was up to bat. I totally forgot we were at a softball game. He jumped the fence, grabbed a helmet and a bat and took his turn up to bat. He hit a pretty impressive double. Man, watching him run made me have to check my mouth for drool. He really is gorgeous.

After the game, I walked back to the dorms and Les went with his frat buddies back to the frat house. We agreed to get together sometime later in the week and he would help me get set up working with the school. Potentially having a job lined up made me even more excited to be in Miami. That and a new great friend made it a perfect combination.

XXXXXXX

Annabelle didn't arrive back to the dorm room until well after dinnertime. She offered a quick, "Sorry about this morning" and then didn't say much after that. I couldn't tell if she was tired or just not that talkative, but I didn't want to push the issue. I was getting a little antsy, I had been inside most of the day organizing my things, rearranging, and taking a peak at the books for the classes I had on Monday. I wouldn't say I'm a nerd or anything, but I did get really good grades in high school and I knew if I wanted to keep my scholarships and possibly get more that I need to do well, so I wanted to be prepared.

With Annabelle back and pretty much ignoring my existence, I decided I would go for a run. Since I was already in relaxed clothing that I could run in, all I needed to do was put my running shoes on. I asked Annabelle if she wanted to go on a run with me, but considering the look she gave me closely resembled the look from her mother when my stomach growled this morning, I took it as a no.

It was dark outside, but I figured I would be safe if I just stuck to running through campus. I had been running for probably a mile or so when someone came running at me from the side. Before I knew what was happening, I was screaming bloody murder.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Please take a second and let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate it. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: I think I may have forgotten to thank Margaret Fowler last time for her help with ideas and reviewing the chapter. So…THANK YOU, MARGARET! Please, forgive any inaccuracies. I've never been to Miami, nor did I attend the University of Miami, so most of this is mixture of my college's campus and stuff I make up in my head. I hope you enjoy!**

_Previously:_

_With Annabelle back and pretty much ignoring my existence, I decided I would go for a run. Since I was already in relaxed clothing that I could run in, all I need to do was put my running shoes on. I asked Annabelle if she wanted to go on a run with me, but considering the look she gave me closely resembled the look from her mother when my stomach growled this morning, I took it as a no._

_It was dark outside, but I figured I would be safe if I just stuck to running through campus. I had been running for probably a mile or so when someone came running at me from the side. Before I knew what was happening, I was screaming bloody murder._

**Ch. 4**

"Jesus Christ! You nearly gave me a heart attack," I screamed at Les once I was able to breathe again. It was then that I realized he was on the ground clutching himself. It took everything I had to suppress the giggle that wanted to bubble up.

"I'm sorry, Beautiful. I didn't mean to scare you. I've been yelling to you for the past five minutes, so I figured I needed to do something drastic to get your attention."

"And what if it wasn't me? What if the girl you ran at in the dark had pepper spray, or a gun. You would be in a lot more pain that you are right now."

"Obviously you don't know what it feels like to get kneed in the nuts, Beautiful," Lester said still slightly out of breath.

"I'm sorry. I honestly didn't even realize I had kneed you until I noticed you on the ground. I guess the self-defense class I took Senior year paid off. So what's up? Did you just want to scare me half to death or did you need me for something."

"I need you for lots of things, Beautiful," he said with a lecherous grin, finally getting back to a standing position.

I punched him in the shoulder and said, "I'm serious. What's up? And if we're talking, we are also running. I want to get another couple miles in or there is no way I'm going to sleep tonight."

I could tell Les was thinking something dirty again but after I gave him my best 'Burg glare, he refrained. "A bunch of the guys and some of the sorority girls we're friends with were planning on heading to the beach tomorrow for one last, fully relaxing day before classes start on Monday. I went up to your room to see if you wanted to go with, but your roommate answered the door and just stared at me. She didn't even answer when I asked if she knew where you were. I figured I'd just come by in the morning and see if you wanted to join us, but then I noticed you running by as I was walking back to the frat house and thought I'd catch up with you."

"Yeah, I have the distinct impression Annabelle isn't much of a social butterfly. And, that she was very possibly quite sheltered growing up. I swear, when her Mom and Dad walked into the room this morning, it felt like the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. And since she came back from her day out with them, she hasn't spoken hardly two words to me. I'm assuming they told her not to "be friends" with me, not that I could care any less. She reminds me too much of my 'perfect' sister anyways."

"Gotta love those perfect siblings," Les grumbled.

"I take it you have one of those too?"

"Yeah. Alejandro is about 8 years older than I am and you would have thought he hung the moon. He had just gone off to college when Mom and Dad were in their car accident. He didn't come visit at Abuela's much, so I don't even really know him anymore. He was really cool until I hit about 6, and then he didn't want much to do with his younger, annoying brother."

I briefly thought about teasing him about the annoying part, but from the look on his face it didn't seem like the right time, plus he was running a little funny from the whole knee thing, so I let it slide and changed the subject before he got too lost in his thoughts. "So, what time?"

"What time for what, Steph?"

"What time are you leaving for the beach?"

"Oh. Around 9. We were gonna grab some breakfast on the way there. The house cook/maid spoils us and always makes a huge lunch on Sundays, so we asked her to make it a picnic so we can take that with us."

"That sounds great. Want me to meet you at the house?"

"Naw, we'll swing by and pick you up. Just meet out front of your dorm at 9."

"Ok, see you then."

We had finished our run during our conversation and Les gave me a quick peck on the cheek before jogging off toward the frat houses. I admired the view of him jogging away for a second and then headed inside. I did giggle at how funny he looked. I guess maybe my knee was more powerful than I realized.

XXXXXXXX

I woke up at 7 on Sunday morning thanks in part to the brightly shining sun coming through the window, and to the television being on at a volume louder than my grandparents listen to, and they are in their 70's.

I had tried desperately for about 15 minutes to go back to sleep, pulling the blankets over me and burying my head under the pillow, but it didn't work. I was up, much to my disliking.

I rummaged through my drawers, trying to decide between the red one-piece and dark blue bikini to wear on my outing at the beach. I figured, 'I'm 18 years old and I have a pretty decent figure. It might not last forever, so I might as well take advantage of it now and go with the bikini'.

I grabbed the bikini, a pair of denim shorts, a silver tank top and my toothbrush and toothpaste and headed to the bathroom to get ready. My hair was a crazy mess of curls because I had slept on it wet after my shower the night before, but I knew it would just get battered at the beach anyway, so I wrestled it into a messy bun on the top of my head. I brushed my teeth first and then changed my clothes. The bikini top tied up behind my neck, so you could see it under the tank top, and I loved how the silver and blue went together. I decided to forgo all major forms of makeup so that I didn't end up looking like a raccoon after getting out of the water, and instead opted for just a shiny lip gloss.

I went back into my room to grab my flip-flops and see what was so interesting on the television that Annabelle had to play it so loud, so early in the morning.

I couldn't believe it when I walked back inside. The room was silent, and Annabelle was sitting at her desk looking at something on her computer, with headphones on. Seriously? Could she have not been this quiet when I was trying to get some sleep. What was up with her?

She glanced at me, so I smiled at her and gave her a little wave. She slipped her headphones off and I decided I would start a conversation. "How was your day with your parents yesterday?"

"Oh. It was ok. We drove around checking out a few sights. They bought my books and then took me car shopping. They bought me a new red, Mustang convertible. It is beautiful! It isn't the new corvette I wanted, but it will do."

"Wow. That sounds great. Do you have plans today?"

"Yes. They should be here soon to take me to breakfast and then we were going to go do a little more shopping before they head back home. You?"

"Yes. I'm going to the beach with a guy a met on Friday and a bunch of his friends. I can't wait. I love the beach!"

Annabelle stared at me for a minute before frowning slightly and saying, "You're going to the beach with someone you just met and a bunch of people you don't know?"

"Sure. Why not?"

"You just met him. What if he is a serial killer? Or a rapist?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed out loud. "Lester isn't a serial killer or a rapist. The best part about college is getting to know people and forming new friendships. If you walk around not trusting anyone, you could miss out on a really great friendship."

She seemed to think about it for a minute before nodding her head in agreement. Whether she really agreed with me or just did the smile and nod thing I had taken to doing earlier this summer, I'm not sure. She gave a "have fun" before heading out the door to meet her parents.

I couldn't tell if she was shy, sheltered, or what, but I'm getting the distinct feeling that Annabelle and I are not going to be the best of friends.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

I met Lester in front of my dorm right at 9 like he said. I think he was the first guy I knew, besides my Dad and Grandpa Mazur, that was ever on time for something. I was thoroughly impressed. I climbed up into his black jeep wrangler and settled in at shotgun. There was a huge cooler, a giant beach umbrella, and a volleyball in the backseat. I looked around and didn't notice any other vehicles. I looked at Les and before I could even ask he answered the questions running through my mind.

"The guys are meeting us at the beach. We always head to the same spot, so there was no need for everyone to follow. Plus, I didn't want you to feel rushed if you weren't ready yet."

I smiled at him as I put my sunglasses on. "Thanks. But I was up at the crack of dawn again, thanks to my roommate. By the way, she thinks you could be a serial killer or a rapist," I said with a grin.

Lester just laughed and put the jeep into gear and took off out of the parking lot and toward the beach. We made a quick run through a McDonalds and I got a coffee, two hash browns and a sausage biscuit for breakfast, while Les just got a coffee and an egg McMuffin.

I was practically vibrating the closer we got to the water. It seemed like forever since I had been to the beach. With avoiding wedding planning by playing softball and working this summer, I didn't have much time to head to Point Pleasant, so I was completely excited for today.

Les drove past what I thought was every possible spot to pull off for the beach and I'll admit I started to get slightly nervous about where he was taking me. Finally, he pulled off on what I thought was maybe a jogging path, certainly not a road, headed around some giant rocks and pulled into a parking lot that wasn't visible from the road. The water out in front of us was beautiful and only college students and a couple of families occupied the beach. Certainly not the hotspots we had passed earlier. It was perfect.

We had barely parked when a group of guys came over to grab the cooler. It must have been way heavier than it looked, because it took two guys to carry it and there was a slight look of strain on their faces.

We made our way out onto the beach and I felt a sigh leave my lips as my toes touched the sand. Les gave me a bemused look and asked, "You okay, Beautiful?"

"Yep. Fantastic," I replied with a huge smile on my face. After we set up our beach blankets and the umbrella, Les started introducing me to a few of his friends. The first person he introduced me to was Bobby Brown.

He was a gorgeous black man that sort of reminded me of a young Denzel Washington. He had chocolate brown eyes, a nice body but not overly muscled and his hair was trimmed short. The best feature was definitely his dazzling white smile enhanced by his completely kissable pouty lips. "Nice to meet you, Stephanie," he said taking my hand and giving my knuckles a kiss. "Any girl that knees this knuckle head in the nuts is okay in my book."

I couldn't help the laughter that burst out of me. I spared a glance at Lester who had a look of mock anger on his face. "Well, he had it coming! You don't run at a girl in the middle of the night and not expect a little retaliation." Bobby joined in my laughter and after a couple seconds Les laughed too.

"It wasn't the middle of the night. It was only 10 p.m. And, you need to register that knee as a lethal weapon, Beautiful. I'm still walking funny this morning," Les said and Bobby and I just laughed harder.

Bobby and I sat and talked while Lester helped another extremely good looking guy set up a volleyball net down the beach a little bit. Man, was it a requirement to be gorgeous to hang out with Les.

Bobby burst out laughing again. I turned to look at him and asked, "Did I say that out loud?"

He couldn't even answer through his laughter he only nodded. "Man, I have got to quit doing that."

"If it makes you feel any better, you definitely fit that bill," he said to me. I couldn't help the blush that crept up my face. I had thought I was pretty on some days, but I would NEVER label myself gorgeous. Certainly not as beautiful as all the people surrounding me on the beach.

"So, when did you and Les meet?" I asked Bobby.

"He moved in down the street from me when his parents passed away," he said. "When he started school at my elementary school, he was really shy so I sat down next to him at lunch and talked to him until he opened up a little. It was coming up on basketball season, so I convinced him to join the team with me. He didn't know how to play, so I started practicing with him after school, and we've been best friends ever since."

"Are you one of his frat brothers?" I asked.

"No, but I always hang out with them. I'm too busy to fully commit to them, and since I didn't want to let anyone down, I decided it was best not to join. But I go to all their parties and hang out with them whenever I can. They are a great group of guys."

"What keeps you so busy?"

"I'm on the basketball team, and we travel and practice a lot."

'Wow, guess I'll be going to more games than I thought,' I thought to myself.

"Thanks. It is great to know I'll have your support," Bobby said. Damn it!

Les and the good looking guy who had been helping him set up the net started walking over to Bobby and myself. They were about two feet away from me, when one of the Moms from the families on the beach started screaming, "Oh my God! Someone, please, help me!" She was running toward the water. All of us turned to look what she was running to, and noticed a small child struggling out in the surf.

Before anyone could say or do anything, the gorgeous guy with Les took off at break-neck speed toward the water. He hit the first wave about the same time as the child's mother and dove into the water. We all watched in amazement as he surfaced and swam with the most powerful stroke I have ever witnessed toward the child. The mother stopped heading further into the water, as the guy scooped up the child and headed back to shore.

In a matter of moments, he was setting a child who couldn't have been older than 5, maybe 6, down on the sand by his mother. He was coughing a little bit, but breathing.

The guy, after being released from the tight hug the child's mother had on him, came back to join our group. Les and Bobby took turns shaking his hand and patting him on the back and telling him what a great job he had done.

I was still staring at him in amazement when he turned to me, extended his hand, plastered on what must have been an award-winning smile and said, "Hi, I'm Cal."

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. What do you think? Are these guys, pre-war, what you would have expected them to be? Please take a second and let me know what you think. I'd really appreciate it. **


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Recently Fan Fiction has had some issues regarding their alerts. If you are reading this chapter, but haven't read Ch. 4 yet because you missed the alert, please go back and do so. Thank you!**

**Please, forgive any inaccuracies. I've never been to Miami, nor did I attend the University of Miami, so most of this is mixture of my college's campus and stuff I make up in my head. I hope you enjoy! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review and let me know your thoughts. It means more than I can say, truly! **

_Previously:_

_The guy, after being released from the tight hug the child's mother had on him, came back to join our group. Les and Bobby took turns shaking his hand and patting him on the back and telling him what a great job he had done._

_I was still staring at him in amazement when he turned to me, extended his hand, plastered on what must have been an award-winning smile and said, "Hi, I'm Cal."_

**Ch. 5**

Holy Mother of…, this guy standing in front of me has to be a God of some sort. Truly. He stands about 6 foot 5, and has the most amazing body. You can tell he is an athlete, because he definitely has an athlete's body. He has lean hips, and an 8 pack to die for, strong, muscular shoulders and currently he is dripping wet and flashing the most beautiful smile ever at me. I think he said something, but I've been too busy staring at him since he exited the water to pick up on it.

"Huh?" That is me, Queen of Eloquence, Stephanie Plum.

"I said, my name is Cal. Cal Roberts, and you must be Stephanie. This guy over here hasn't quit talking about you since Friday night," he said hooking a thumb at Lester.

"Let me guess what he said. 'First, she tells me off, then she has me haul all her junk up to the 7th floor, then I rearrange all the furniture in her room, and barely a day later she knees me in the junk.' That about cover it?"

Cal and Bobby are laughing hysterically while Lester has a smirk on his face.

"Not even close, Angel. He's been talking about this spunky girl from Jersey who tells it like it is and knows more than one way to defend herself. I'm assuming that's you," Cal said.

"Yep. That's me. Stephanie Plum," I said taking his hand in a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you. So, Cal, are you one of Lester's frat brothers?"

"Naw. Les and I go way back. We were in ROTC together in high school. Plus, he protected my sister from her ex-boyfriend who tried to get a little too friendly after a baseball game and we've been like brothers ever since."

I turned and gave Les a warm smile. He definitely struck me as the protective type.

"Do you still do ROTC?" I asked Cal and glanced at Lester.

"I do," Cal said. "I even got a scholarship through the program. It is awesome. I'm joining the Navy after this school year."

"Oooh, Navy and Army," I said glancing to Les. "Is this going to cause a problem?"

"Nah, Beautiful. No matter what, Cal and I will always be brothers. And to answer your question, I was in ROTC last year, but didn't qualify with my grades to be in it this year. In fact, I've got to score really well on the ASVAB if I want to be able to join the Army in December."

"Too much partying?" I asked with a smile.

"No, just not great at Science and my Chemistry teacher kicked my ass last semester. I barely pulled out a D. You have to have at least a C in all of your classes to qualify."

"I'm really good in Science, I could help you if you want."

"Be careful, I might take you up on that beautiful. I'm retaking it this semester to replace my D, and hopefully help me on the ASVAB."

"Les, are you sure if you sign in December that you can wait until May to do Boot Camp? I thought that was a right away kind of thing?"

"I've got it all worked out, Beautiful. Don't worry, you're stuck with me until May," he said winking at me. I gave him back a warm smile. "Now come on, let me introduce you to some more of the guys and gals before the fun gets started."

Les spent nearly an hour introducing me to his friends and their significant others. The girls seemed to be pretty friendly, much nicer than I had heard rumored that sorority girls were. The nicest was Bridget Smith. She had to be the most down to earth girl I'd ever met. She was from Kentucky and in Miami on a scholarship in design. We talked about majors and she told me how much she loved her interior design classes and that I should at least take one to see if I was interested. I promised her to think about. We had just finished talking about her intro to design class, and how they let freshman take it if they have certain core classes completed when Les, Cal, Bobby and three other guys started organizing a volleyball game.

Holy hot flash! Does anyone remember the volleyball scene from Top Gun? Ok, picture that. Keep picturing it. Doesn't even do this justice! Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer have nothing on these guys. These guys are gorgeous. Especially Les, Bobby and Cal. They all have shorts on but no shirts, because let's face it, it is hot in Miami at the end of August. They have this fine layer of sweat on their chests that makes them glisten in the sun. I could only stand to watch one game before I had to go take a dip in the water.

As I took off my tank top and shimmied out of my shorts, I couldn't help but notice that I had attracted a little bit of attention. I figured since I had their gaze that I'd put a little extra swing in my step as I headed down to the water. I wasn't in the water for more than 5 minutes before Les joined me. He greeted me in the water with a splash and a dunk. Typical guy! I had been trying to avoid getting my hair too wet to avoid a giant poof ball later, but he took care of that in 2 seconds flat. After I splashed him back, we laughed and joked and messed around as a bunch more of the group joined us in the water.

I don't even know how long we were in the water, but I could definitely tell when it was lunchtime, and so could everyone in close proximity to me. My stomach let out the loudest growl ever, signaling it was time for me to eat. Les looked around before locking his eyes on me. "Damn, Beautiful! Hungry?"

I couldn't help the blush that crept up my face as I grinned at him and nodded. "Let's feed that beast before it gets out of control and starts scaring the small children." I laughed at him as we headed out of the water back toward our beach blankets, towels and most importantly, the cooler.

Let me tell you, if I thought sweaty Les was good looking, wet Les is down right GORGEOUS! Once everyone noticed we were breaking into our cooler, they all started bringing out bags, which were filled with "sides". Les wasn't kidding about the housemaid spoiling them it was literally a feast. There were a large variety of sandwiches, cut fruit, chips, granola bars, and cookies. I couldn't believe the variety that was set out. I threw my shorts back on before grabbing a sandwich, a couple handfuls of Doritos, two scoops of fruit, a handful of cookies and a Coke, and headed back to my beach blanket.

Les joined me shortly after, with a similar plate to mine only smaller portions and a water. "Damn, Beautiful. Where do you put all that?"

"Good genes," I said around a mouthful of the best chicken salad sandwich I have ever eaten. "Plus I run and play softball whenever I get the chance, so it makes me feel less guilty about eating more. And, I practically never sit still, so it all seems to burn off pretty quickly."

"You play softball? Why didn't you say something yesterday?"

"I've played since grade school and I love it, but I had just barely met you. I wasn't going to crash your game."

"We play every Saturday morning at 8. We are always looking for extra players, especially as the school year gets going because more and more people bail to sleep off the party from the night before. Consider this an open invitation."

"I'll take you up on it. Plus, if things don't change, I'll be up at the crack of dawn thanks to _Annabelle_ anyways." Even I could hear the disdain in my voice when I said her name.

"Got an early riser on your hands, Beautiful?"

"It is one thing to get up early, but she makes as much noise as possible. This morning, she had the TV on louder than my grandparents listen to theirs, and they are in their 70's! And when I came back from the bathroom, the TV was off and she was sitting at her computer with headphones on. It was freakin' silent in there! So I know she knows how to be quiet."

"That sounds rough. I'm sure it will get better. And if not, you have like 3 weeks to request a new room."

"I'll give it a little bit of time, but if things don't change, I might just have to switch."

We finished our lunch talking about our families. Les told me about his Abuela and I told him about my Grandpa and Grandma Mazur. We decided my Grandma and his Abuela would get along beautifully if they only lived closer to one another.

After lunch Bridget and I joined Les and Cal for a game of volleyball, Les and I against Bridget and Cal. I'm not sure who won, but I know we had a blast. Before we knew it, it was getting close to dinner time and everyone needed to head back to their respective houses to prepare for classes starting the next day.

Les and I drove back rocking out to a little AC/DC. Les walked me up to my room and I invited him in to get his take on Annabelle. When we walked in, it looked like Macy's threw up all over the room. There were clothes and shoes everywhere, including covering my bed, desk and chair. Annabelle turned and looked at us and said, "Oh. You're back? Hmmm. And I was sure he was a serial killer." Did I mention that she had on a pair of my shoes? I knew they were mine because I glanced to the bottom of my bed where they had been and it was empty.

I could feel my face turning redder by the second and I was just about to step forward and explode all over Annabelle when Les grabbed my shoulder and whispered, "Easy, killer" in my ear. We turned and walked out.

Les and I walked down to one of the café's on campus to grab a wrap for dinner. He agreed, she was nuts. As we sat and ate, I decided it was time someone put Ms. Perfect in her place, and I was just the girl to do it.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. What do you think? What type of revenge should Steph take on her roommate, or should she just drop it and request a new room? Sorry it is a shorter than normal chapter, but it was the perfect place to stop. I'm doing by best to post every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If I get a chapter finished early, I will post early, if not I will do my best to keep my schedule. I hope you'll take a moment to review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: I just wanted to note that I was not in a sorority so I don't know any more than what I've heard about the going-ons in one. Also, I am not trying to stereotype anyone, so please take no offense at my version of a snobby sorority. It is fiction, and I'm just here for a good time!**

**Please, forgive any inaccuracies. I've never been to Miami, nor did I attend the University of Miami, so most of this is mixture of my college's campus and stuff I make up in my head. I hope you enjoy! I want to thank everyone again, it means so very much that you are taking the time to read and review my story. Truly, you are making me so very happy. I apologize for the lateness of the update, but I was overcome with a migraine for two days, which limited my ability to get anything done on my story. I was also trying to think up some good revenge. I hope I do it justice. **

_Previously:_

_I could feel my face turning redder by the second and I was just about to step forward and explode all over Annabelle when Les grabbed my shoulder and whispered, "Easy, killer" in my ear. We turned and walked out._

_Les and I walked down to one of the café's on campus to grab a wrap for dinner. He agreed, she was nuts. As we sat and ate, I decided it was time someone put Ms. Perfect in her place, and I was just the girl to do it._

**Ch. 6**

What a crazy first week of school. I can't believe how quickly it went by and how completely overwhelmed I feel. I swear, all the professors on campus got together and developed the scariest looking syllabi known to man. When I showed some of them to Lester, he tried to reassure me that they were just trying to remind Freshmen that college wasn't anything like high school and that things weren't really going to be as bad as they seemed. I sure hoped he was right.

I had wracked my brain trying to find a good form of payback to Annabelle for ransacking my closet and having my shoes on her feet, but more for the way she looked at and talked to Lester. He is a nice guy, and while yes, she doesn't know him from Adam it doesn't give her any right to act like a stuck up snob to him.

The first couple of pranks I pulled where childish, I admit it. I had actually remembered them from a combination of things. Mary Lou pulled one of them on her older sister, and actually the other Valerie pulled on me just before Homecoming my Sophomore year. In some ways, it felt like vengeance.

On Sunday night after Lester and I had dinner, I got in my car and found the closest Walgreens I could find. Of course, on the way back to the dorms I passed two of them, so I'm guessing I needed to go further to clear my mind and keep from doing something I would really regret. When I got back to the dorms, my shoes were back in their spot, all of the clothes had been put away and Annabelle was asleep. I had to work quickly and quietly if I wanted to give her a truly memorable first day of college.

I had several things planned, but I wasn't sure which to do first. I checked her shampoo and conditioner bottles and noted that they were mostly full, so that trick, to avoid her knowing for sure it was my fault, would have to wait. I surveyed the room to determine the best course of action. I noted that she had laid an outfit out on her desk chair, and I assumed it was what she planned to wear the next day. It was a nice denim skirt and a white blouse, with high-heeled flip-flops. Actually, it was a cute outfit.

I took a seam-ripper out of the sewing kit I had purchased and proceeded to rip a tiny hole and loosen several of the other threads in the seam of the back of the skirt. If it fit tightly, which based on the size and my guess at what size she wore, it would, if she bent over, the hole would rip further.

Next, I took a metal nail file, those things really are handy, and proceeded to file at the top of one of the heels on her shoes. Once she had walked across campus to her classes, I was certain the heel would give out and she would be stuck hobbling along on a broken shoe until she could come back and change. Childish, I know, but I couldn't help it. She pissed me off. And it worked like a charm.

I had a break between my morning class and my afternoon class, and Annabelle came in the room hobbling and swearing like a sailor. I'm sure if her mother had heard her should would have gotten a similar look to the one I received when my stomach growled, maybe even worse. She had had three classes back to back on the farthest end of campus, and her skirt had ripped at the beginning of her first class. She was yelling to me as she described the "utter garbage that Macy's is selling these days" and explaining how she had grabbed a syllabus when she walked in the door and then dropped it just before picking a seat. She bent at the knees to pick it up, making the skirt stretch tight across her bottom and proceeding to rip a fairly large hole in her skirt. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing.

She continued to explain her mortification that so many people had seen the hot pink underwear she was wearing and while she was walking to her next class, trying desperately to cover the rip, her heel broke causing her to trip and fall and throw her books everywhere. And that each time she bent to pick one of her books up, the hole in her skirt ripped further.

By the time her third class was over she was beyond embarrassed and unsure if she would ever be able to show her face in those three classes ever again. But the funniest part when she explained, with the most disgusted look on her face I think I've ever seen someone have…even worse than my Mother when I've done something "embarrassing", that someone suggested that she had purchased the skirt at Target. She asked me, "Can you believe that?"

I couldn't hold in the giggle when I said, "You know, I've never had anything I purchased at Target rip. Maybe you should give them a try?" She stood there staring at me like a fish and I took that moment to grab the books for my next class and slip out the door. I laughed the entire way to my class.

My afternoon Chemistry class had Lester in it and I was so excited to see him, more to tell him about what I'd done to Annabelle than for any other reason. We laughed out loud about it until the professor stepped in and class started. Thankfully I only had two classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and so that afternoon Les and I went over to the county school district office and set up everything for me to be eligible to work at the elementary school with him. He said he would talk to his boss that afternoon and work it all out and hopefully I would be able to start the next day.

On Tuesday morning I ran into Cal at my "Swimming for Fitness" class. I had wanted to take an elective to help break up the difficulty of my first semester and he was taking it for the second time for fun. He told me how much he loved to swim and that he had been a lifeguard back home for the past four summers. He told me all about his plans to join the Navy and how excited his Dad was as he had been Navy as well. We went and grabbed an early lunch together after class before my next class, Math 280. It was an upper level Calculus and even though I was still undecided on my major, I needed a math course and that was the one I had tested in to. Did I mention I did pretty well in high school?

I couldn't believe it when I walked into that class and Bobby Brown was sitting there. I grabbed a seat beside him to chat before class started. He told me how he was pretty sure he was going to go pre-med. He was a little unsure how he was going to accomplish all it required with his basketball schedule but that he was determined to do it. I told him I thought that was awesome and as long as he put his mind to it, he could do it. He sat and stared at me for a moment before saying, "Thanks."

I started working at the elementary school with Les that afternoon and I could tell right away that I was going to love it. The kids were wonderful and eager to learn and have some individual attention. We spent the first thirty minutes getting them all a snack, then we spent an hour in a classroom working on homework, reading stories, and doing other educational focused endeavors, then the last hour we all split up. A few adults took kids into a makeshift kitchen and taught them cooking – I didn't volunteer for that one since I burned water, some took kids into a computer lab and the rest of us took the kids outside for various sport activities. It was a blast. The first day we played kick ball, and I tell you the joy on the kids faces was priceless, the last thirty minutes were spent with the kids eating dinner.

The rest of the week was pretty much the same, minus Annabelle's misfortunes, which I repeatedly found myself giggling about. She hadn't been rude to me again, though she wasn't very nice either, she mostly kept to herself. That, I could deal with.

Saturday night I joined Les, Bobby and Cal at the frat party hosted by Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE), Lester's frat. I had a great time laughing and dancing with all three of the guys. I recognized a few of his friends from the beach and talked to a few of them, but only danced with the guys I had gotten the closest too. Les told me RUSH week, which is the week where those interested in "going greek" pick their frat or sorority and prepare to pledge, was next week and that he wouldn't be around much because of his obligations within the house. I agreed to meet him in the library the next day to help him with our Chemistry assignment.

That night when I got back to our room, Annabelle was there and she was completely drunk, more drunk than anyone I witnessed at the frat party. She was lying in her bed singing at the top of her lungs when I walked in. When she noticed I was in the room she rolled over to look at me and fell off the bed. I couldn't help but laugh at her. Annabelle drunk, as it turns out, is an even bigger bitch than Annabelle sober. As she got off the floor she leveled a stern look at me and asked, "How was your date with the Spic?"

I couldn't help it. I walked over to her and smacked her right across the face. In the most serious tone I have ever spoken I said, "Don't you EVER disrespect Lester like that again."

"Well, what would you call him then?" She asked me, completely un-phased by my smack or my tone of voice. "He is a Spic isn't he?"

I balled up my fist but tried to hold my temper and said, "He is Puerto Rican and a truly nice guy. If you can't refer to him as Lester then just don't reference him."

With that I grabbed my shower caddy, towel and my sleeping clothes and left the room. It took all I had not to beat her to a bloody mess. After the longest shower I've taken in a long time I went back into the room. Thankfully Annabelle was passed out on the bed.

XXXXXXXXX

After studying with Lester most of Sunday and avoiding my room until I was sure Annabelle would be asleep, I went in to bed after having made my decision, I was going to request a new room.

Monday morning I got up early enough before my first class to go to housing and request a new room. That accomplished I attended my classes and then headed to work. If I planned things correctly I could avoid Annabelle until my room change came through. Unfortunately, nothing ever seems to go as I plan.

Monday night when I went back to my room, certain Annabelle would be asleep, I walked in to find her unfortunately wide awake. She spoke to me like we were best friends.

"There you are! I was wondering where you've been."

"I've been around," I answered in a monotone voice.

"I haven't seen you since you left Saturday evening for your party. How did it go?"

I gave her a measuring look. Did she really not remember our conversation Saturday night? "It went fine. Did you go to a party as well?"

"Yes. I went to the Kappa Zheta house party. It was amazing. I'm pledging with them. My Mom was a KZ, so I shouldn't have any problem getting in. We even had our first little event tonight. It was so great."

"Hmmm. Sounds nice."

"Are you pledging anywhere?"

"Nope," I answered in a clipped tone. I just couldn't even bring myself to try to be pleasant with her.

"The Kappa's spend a lot of time SAE, so I guess I'll be around your _friend_ a lot."

"You mean, Lester?" I replied.

"Right, _Lester_." I could hear the disgust in her voice when she mentioned him and it took all I had not to smack her again. Because I was certain she was sober right now and would remember it. "What is he anyways?"

I stared at her.

"You know, he is a Mexican?"

I continued to stare at her.

"Cause the only Mexicans I've ever dealt with worked for my Daddy and they were always such perverts and so dirty. I'm not even sure how to talk to him. Does he even speak English?"

I stared at her trying to determine if she was really that stupid or if she was just trying to piss me off. I cleared my throat in an attempt to stall my desire to rush across the room and rip every single hair from her head before I said. "Lester is a guy. A nice guy. He grew up in Miami and he is smart and funny and caring. He most definitely speaks English and he speaks to people with respect, unlike some people."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" She asked me. Yep…she was just that stupid.

"Look, I'm really trying to keep from knocking some sense into you right now. Lester is my friend and I don't appreciate the way you are talking about him. He is an honorable, decent, sweet guy who was the first person I met on this campus and he befriended me immediately. I'm not sure what it is you have against him, but it would serve you well to not speak like that about him again in front of me."

"Geez, you're awfully defensive. You're sleeping with him aren't you?"

My mouth dropped open. I could not believe what she was saying. My feet moved of their own accord and instantly I was right in front of her smacking her across the face again. Before she regained her composure we heard a loud explosion. We both moved to the window, which over looked the parking lot, and there, in the lot was my car on fire. And next to it, was Annabelle's car, also on fire.

The next thing that registered was Annabelle screaming. "Oh my God, my car!" And then she took off running out of the room. I heaved a heavy sigh, went to my desk to get my insurance card and then went down to the parking lot to wait for the police to arrive.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. What do you think? What could have caused the cars to explode? Will Annabelle pay Steph back for the slap? Please let me know what you think.**

**I would also like to point out that I am not racist, but there are racist people in this world. In fact, my husband is half Mexican and I have been witness to the same type of stereotyping that Annabelle projected onto Lester. I truly hope I didn't offend anyone. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: I just wanted to note that I was not in a sorority so I don't know any more than what I've heard about the going-ons in one. Also, I am not trying to stereotype anyone, so please take no offense at my version of a snobby sorority. It is fiction, and I'm just here for a good time!**

**Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! I want to thank everyone again, it means so very much that you are taking the time to read and review my story. Truly, you are making me so very happy. Please, keep them coming!**

_Previously:_

_My mouth dropped open. I could not believe what she was saying. My feet moved of their own accord and instantly I was right in front of her smacking her across the face again. Before she regained her composure we heard a loud explosion. We both moved to the window, which over looked the parking lot, and there, in the lot was my car on fire. And next to it, was Annabelle's car, also on fire._

_The next thing that registered was Annabelle screaming. "Oh my God, my car!" And then she took off running out of the room. I heaved a heavy sigh, went to my desk to get my insurance card and then went down to the parking lot to wait for the police to arrive._

**Ch. 7**

The parking lot was pure pandemonium. Annabelle was freaking out and squealing at a decibel I thought only dogs should be able to hear. There were tons of students, everywhere and then there was me. I had my insurance card in hand and was sitting on the curb waiting patiently and listening.

"Serves her right. Did you hear the way she was talking about some of the SAE guys?" One girl said to another.

Yep, this definitely wasn't my fault. If Annabelle talked about the other guys in Lester's frat in a similar way that she talked about Les, there was no doubt in my mind this was all her fault.

"Oh, I know. She is terrible. I heard there was no way they were going to let her be a Kappa, it doesn't matter who her mother is." The other girl responded.

That made me smile a little bit.

"I heard they were going to put her through the ringer this week of RUSH and then deny her at the ceremony on Saturday. I even heard her Mom is supposed to be here to initiate her."

Oh great, another visit from _Beatrice_. I'll have to make sure I avoid the room as much as possible this weekend.

"I just feel sorry for whoever owns the car next to hers. I mean, it is hilarious that the bitch's car is up in flames, but no one else should have had to suffer."

To be quite honest, the car got me to Miami, and I have pretty good insurance, so the fact that Annabelle's car is up in flames makes me happy enough not to be too upset about my own bad luck.

"It's all Jake's fault. He made the stink bomb, but did something wrong and when he tossed it under Annabelle's car it kept rolling and hit some oil and ignited that other car. The fire from it caught Annabelle's soft top on fire and the rest is a burning mess in front of us," the girl said with a giggle.

It was about that time that the fire department and police arrived. One of the cops on the scene asked who owned the cars and after Annabelle claimed hers, I claimed mine. The two girls sitting next to me both went pale. They had to know I had overheard their conversation. I gave them both a soft smile as I headed over to talk to the police.

Annabelle told the police that she had her suspicions for who could have done this and I heard her mention Lester's name. I immediately butted in on her conversation with the police.

"There is no possible way my friend could have had anything to do with this," I said. "For one, he and his fraternity have their weekly house dinner tonight so I'm sure that is where he is right now. For two, there is NO WAY he would risk my car trying to get yours."

The police officer whose tag said Sanchez looked at me and asked, "Do you have any idea who could have done this ma'am?"

"Officer Sanchez, I assure you I have no idea. If I had thought someone was going to blow up her car, I certainly wouldn't have left mine in the lot." I noticed the two girls who had been talking about the explosion relaxed visibly when I denied knowing anything about it.

Officer Sanchez handed us both a card and told us to call him if we heard anything. Annabelle spoke then, "Wait a minute! What am I supposed to do? My car isn't insured yet. Daddy was busy at work and told me he would get it added to the plan later this week. Who is going to pay to replace my car?"

"I assure you, ma'am, as soon as we have a suspect and can prove something we will let you know," Officer Sanchez said.

I smiled. I couldn't help it. Talk about Karma. Who buys a new car and doesn't get insurance for it right away?

Once the fire was out and the cars had been towed the crowd began to disperse. Annabelle had headed back inside just after her pile of metal, I mean car, was loaded onto the tow truck. I was getting ready to go back inside when the two girls who had been talking earlier approached me.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry about your car. I'm Alicia," she said.

"And I'm Jeannette," the other said. "That was so great of you not to mention anything you heard us talking about."

Alicia was beautiful. Tall, dirty blonde hair with hazel eyes and a bright smile. Jeannette was black, with beautifully braided hair and she was even taller than Alicia. She was skinny but not too skinny and her warm brown eyes and kind smile made me smile back.

"If I was as dumb as Annabelle and didn't have insurance, I might have said something. But considering I'm stuck living with the bitch, I wasn't going to offer her any help."

"So you're the roommate. I'm so sorry," Alicia said straight faced.

"Me too," I said back and then started laughing. "Gosh, she is terrible. I've never met anyone that mean before, well, except for my mother."

"Your mother can't be that rude," Jeannette said. "She has been harping on everything since we met her Saturday night at the house party. How the house wasn't fancy enough and that she couldn't believe the Kappas would partner with SAE. She said they looked like a bunch of thugs. I swear, I wanted to hit her!"

"I have hit her. Twice now," I said with a smile. "I'm friends with Lester Santos and she just keeps talking trash about him. I've smacked her twice and if my car hadn't exploded earlier, I'm not sure she would have made it out of the room alive," I said with a grin.

"Well just let us know if you have anymore trouble," Alicia said. "We'll help you hide the body." We were laughing when Lester came running up to the front of the dorms. Before I could say anything Lester swept me up in his arms into a huge hug.

"Geez, Beautiful. I'm so glad you are ok. Jake came rushing into our house meeting sputtering about a stink bomb and two cars exploding in front of the Freshmen dorms. As soon as he mentioned a P.O.S. Escort, I knew it was yours. If our darn corporate sponsors weren't there, I'd have been here sooner."

"Corporate sponsors?" I asked.

"Yeah, former brothers that sponsor the frat. Help us keep up with maintenance on the house and supply scholarships. Really great guys but they like to keep tabs on us and we occasionally have to suck up to them. Tonight was a suck up night."

"I'm fine. A minor issue with my car, but the good news is Annabelle's car exploded too. And apparently, she doesn't have insurance," I said with what I'm sure was an evil smile on my face.

Lester looked at me for a second and then broke out into laughter. Once he regained control of his laughter he said, "I've got a second cousin that owns a dealership downtown. I can help you get a good deal."

"I'll take you up on it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

What a week. As if my car exploding on Monday wasn't bad enough, but now it is Friday and after a long week of classes, work and studying, I managed to forget that Annabelle's mother was going to be here.

Thankfully, I had plans to grab dinner with Lester, so after only a few degrading comments, and an eye roll at my tank top, denim capri's and flip-flops I managed to escape.

Lester and I sat across from each other shoving greasy burgers and fries into our faces in between bouts of laughter. Lester filling me in on all the new guys rushing SAE and me telling him of the pranks the Kappa girls had played on Annabelle.

"Normally those girls seem really snobby, but maybe I was too quick to judge them," Lester said. "The fact that they are giving Annabelle grief and not going to make her a member makes me rethink my opinion of them."

"According to Alicia and Jeannette, the Kappas really like all the SAE guys. Alicia said they are constantly talking about how they partner with the best frat on campus and that you are the only ones that treat girls with any kind of respect. Sometimes girls have a hard time showing how they feel, but if what Alicia and Jeannette say holds any truth, they really think a lot of you guys."

"Huhn. I guess I'll make more of an effort to get to know them this year," Les said. "So, heard anything from your insurance company on when you're going to get a check so you can go get a new car?"

"Well, they said normally it can take a while because it is still under police investigation regarding what happened, but no matter what, they know it wasn't my fault so they are going to speed up the process for me. Hopefully I'll have it sometime next week and we can go car shopping next weekend if you're free."

"Should be. I'll let you know if anything comes up," Les said.

We finished up our dinner and as we were heading back toward campus, Bobby called Les on his cell phone.

"'Lo,"

"'Sup, man?"

He turned to me and said, "Hey, want to head to Bobby's apartment and watch a movie?"

I nodded and Les quickly answered, "Sounds good, man. Steph and I'll be there in ten."

As he quickly hung up I turned to him and said, "You forgot to say bye." With a grin, Les made a quick left and headed toward Bobby's apartment.

_Sunday night_…

I had listened to Annabelle crying for at least the last 12 hours. I felt only slightly bad that she hadn't been initiated as a Kappa. Her mother, who was furious and apparently beyond embarrassed had left in a huff Saturday night and headed back to Atlanta. Thank God!

Just as I was finally wearing down and trying to come up with a way to comfort Annabelle, that evil bitch in her reared its ugly head and pounced on me.

"This is all your fault you know?"

I choked a little. "Excuse me?"

"The Kappas found out what a loser roommate I had and they didn't want you tagging along with me to parties. That must be why they didn't let me in."

I stared at her, completely speechless.

"So now, I'm stuck with no car, a loser roommate and I'm not a Kappa. Miami sucks!"

I wanted so badly to tell her off and smack some sense into her, but I decided she wasn't worth the effort anymore. Instead, I cleaned up my desk area, climbed into bed and prayed to anyone listening that my room change request would come through soon.

_**Two months later…**_

These last two months had been a combination of fun and torture. Fun anytime I'm with Les, Bobby, Cal, Bridget, Alicia or Jeannette. Torture anytime I'm forced to spend time with Annabelle.

Les took me down to his second cousin's dealership when my insurance check came through and I was able to afford a cute little Volkswagen convertible bug. It was a dark blue with a tan interior and it was perfect for me. It was in way better condition than the Escort had been in and with the discount Les's cousin gave me, I had enough to afford it without making payments.

Unfortunately, my room change request had been denied. Something about the paperwork getting lost and when they had recovered it, it was past the deadline and there were no other rooms available for me to move into. So, I was stuck with Annabelle until the semester. She had found a crowd that would put up with her for a while, the stoners. I couldn't believe it the first night that Annabelle came into the room smelling to high heavens and completely mellow. Truth be told, I actually liked that Annabelle. She only hung out with them for a few weeks and then she had taken to staying in a lot, making me want to avoid the room as much as possible.

After about three weeks of her always being in the room, she found a new crowd. I hadn't met any of them, but they certainly kept her occupied. Of course, when she did come home, she was always totally drunk and would strip completely naked and climb into bed and sleep. I never noticed her going to class anymore and would be surprised if she even passed the semester.

As I came home from work tonight to get ready for the big SAE/Kappa Halloween party, Annabelle sat on her bed dressed like the sluttiest devil I had ever seen. She was wearing a skin-tight, strapless red dress that barely covered her lady parts, black fishnet stockings and red FMP's with what must have been 5-inch heels. Her makeup was complete Goth and horror of horrors her hair was black. And nope, it wasn't a wig. She topped the costume off with a headband donned with red sequined horns, and she carried a red, plastic pitchfork. It was great costume, though she did look a little frightening.

"Hey, Annabelle," I said in greeting when I walked in. "Wow! Your costume is really amazing. Which party are you going to?"

She gave me a steely look and said, "Brad and I are going to the SAE party."

"That's cool. I'll be there too. Maybe I'll see you around? You can look for me if you want, I'll be dressed as Wonder Woman." I said smiling at her. I was really starting to feel sorry for her.

"Yeah. Maybe," she said before getting off the bed and leaving.

I gave a slight headshake, grabbed my shower stuff and a robe and then headed into the bathroom to clean up and get ready. Tonight was going to be great, or so I thought.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: What do you think? What is really going on with Annabelle? What is going to happen at the party? What will the guys be dressed like? Let me know your thoughts and what you would like to see! **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**I want to thank everyone AGAIN. I cannot believe that 7 chapters in and I have almost 100 reviews. It means so very much that you are taking the time to read and review my story. Truly, you are making me so very happy. Please, keep them coming!**

_Previously:_

"_That's cool. I'll be there too. Maybe I'll see you around? You can look for me if you want, I'll be dressed as Wonder Woman." I said smiling at her. I was really starting to feel sorry for her. _

"_Yeah. Maybe," she said before getting off the bed and leaving._

_I gave a slight headshake, grabbed my shower stuff and a robe and then headed into the bathroom to clean up and get ready. Tonight was going to be great, or so I thought._

**Ch. 8**

As I stood back and looked in the mirror at what had to be the _sexiest_ Wonder Woman costume EVER, I couldn't help but wonder what my mother would say if she saw me dressed like this. My guess is if she knew I was planning to go out in public dressed like this, she would drag me back to Trenton by my hair, kicking and screaming, and would lock me up and throw away the key. Good thing no one here knows Helen Plum.

The costume was like no version of a Wonder Woman costume I had ever seen. The red, strapless corset was cinched extra tight, no small feat doing it alone, I might add, and it really accented how thin my waist is. The bottoms, which are basically a glorified bikini bottom, are blue, with silver stars accenting it and a wide gold belt along the top. The corset fell just short enough to leave about an inch of skin between it and the bottoms. Instead of using the "boot covers" that came with the costume, I managed to find a pair of fire engine red boots that hit just below my knee and had a 4-inch stiletto heel. They were "Fuck Me" Boots if ever such a thing existed. After my shower I had doused my hair in a curl enhancing gel and spent about 20 minutes with my head hung upside down working my diffuser through my hair. The result was pretty amazing if I do say so myself, and it fell beautifully over the golden headpiece. I used 2-inch thick, silver bangle bracelets instead of the ones provided with the costume, as they seemed to take away from its sex appeal, and I had my lasso of truth attached to my bottoms on my right hip. The entire ensemble was topped off with a red cape that tied around the neck and would be perfect to block the evening chill on the way to and from the party. I went pretty basic on the makeup, using a bunch of blue eye shadow to bring out my eyes, a couple coats of mascara and bright red lipstick. I looked pretty good if I do say so myself.

I gave myself one last look, tucked my room key in my boot and was out the door. Lester had offered to come over and walk with me, but I knew he would be busy making sure everything was all set up in the house, so I told him not to worry and that I would walk over with Bridget, Jeannette and Alicia. Just about everyone who parties on campus attends the SAE/Kappa party at Halloween, so no other frat or sorority hosts a party. This meant I could hang out with Bridget, which made me happy because she was quickly becoming one of my best friends.

She was in the lobby of my dorm waiting for me when I got downstairs and she looked amazing. She was wearing a knee-length toga, with gold strappy sandals that tied up her legs. Her eye makeup was gold, which really brought out her brown eyes and her dark brown hair was curled and hanging down to her shoulders and a gold headpiece made out of leaves. It was beautiful and she looked amazing.

"You look beautiful," I said to her as I walked over to where she was waiting.

"Thanks. I figured, why not Go Greek for Halloween. And nothing says Greek like a Greek Goddess," she said laughing.

"Well, Greek Goddess definitely suits you."

"Thanks Wonder Woman. And Holy Cow, you are stunning. Les is going to be fighting the guys off of you tonight."

I stopped dead in my tracks. Did she think Les and I were together? While I thought he was definitely gorgeous, I didn't see us as a couple. He had become the best guy friend I had ever had and I didn't want to do anything that would ruin that. I didn't think he did either.

Bridget must have noticed the shocked look on my face because she quickly said, "What? What's wrong?"

"Les and I are just friends. Best friends, but just friends."

"Are you sure about that Steph? He looks at you like more than a friend."

"He looks at every girl that way. He's a horn dog, no doubt about that, but he hasn't even kissed me. I'm pretty sure he is happy with us being just friends."

"If you say so," Bridget said. "Come on, let's get a move on. Where are Alicia and Jeannette?"

As if on cue, they both walked in. Alicia was dressed in a Jeannie, a la I Dream of Jeannie, costume. She wore a pink bustier with a mini jacket over top and the bottoms looked like pink bikini bottoms with a sheer pink tulle that covered it down her legs. Her entire stomach was exposed and I was instantly jealous of the stomach muscles she was sporting. She had a little pink hat on her head, and I swear she looked just like Barbara Eden in the classic television show.

Jeannette was dressed as a sexy nurse, with a tight white mini dress, a little paper hat and a stethoscope wrapped around her neck. She had on white boots that were extremely similar to mine, only differing in color and the heel was slightly smaller. If Bobby ended up wearing the costume I thought he was going to, they would look perfect together. We took turns telling each other how great we all looked and then headed over to the SAE house for the party.

The party was in full swing when we arrived. I noticed Bobby first and he was indeed dressed as a doctor. And good Lord, what a sexy doctor he made. With basketball season really ramping up, his extra workouts were really showing. His green scrubs top was stretch taught across his muscled chest and the pants fit tight showing off his fine looking behind. This would be his first time meeting Jeannette as any other time we had hung out in a group, he had been at practice. Once he spotted her standing next to me, I could tell every other girl in the room was invisible to him. I gave a quick introduction and then Bobby swept her onto the dance floor. I was pretty sure I wouldn't be spending much time with either of them for the rest of the evening.

Next I noticed Naval Officer Cal. Man did he look gorgeous in a uniform. When he noticed me he came over and swept me up into a big hug. I was a little disappointed that he didn't sweep me off my feet like Richard Gere did to Debra Winger in Officer and a Gentleman, but I knew he already had a slight crush on Alicia, so it was ok. We talked for a few minutes and then Alicia and Cal took to the dance floor to dance. He wasn't an astronaut, but they still kind of fit. It was cute.

Bridget and I stood talking for a few minutes before Les could tear himself away from the DJ and then came over to greet us. I was only slightly disappointed in Les's costume and only because he wouldn't dress up like Superman for me. I told him he wouldn't even need the fake muscles that came with the costume, but he was adamant against it. Now, looking at this "Spartan warrior" standing in front of me, I couldn't really complain. Les basically had on a skirt, but it was brown and leather so it didn't count as a skirt, according to him. He had on these brown leather sandal things that really looked like they could have come from ancient times and he had a sword tucked into the belt of his costume. He had no shirt on and I had to check for drool a couple of times. He looked gorgeous. I noticed that Bridget recognized how gorgeous he really looked and I thought they would make a beautiful couple.

"Hey, Beautiful. Glad you made it ok," he said. Then he took a step back and looked at me. "Wow! Linda Carter, eat your heart out."

I couldn't help but laugh at him. "Thanks Les. You look amazing! And you were right, definitely a better choice for you than Superman."

"Thank you, thank you," he said with a slight bow. "Bridget, you look fantastic," he said turning to address my friend.

I noticed a slight blush on her cheeks as she thanked him. Feeling the need to push them together I said, "Why don't you two dance?"

They both turned and gave me a look. Then Les turned back to Bridget, "Would you like to dance?" She nodded and they headed to the dance floor.

A few moments later, one of Les's frat brothers asked me to dance. He had a costume similar to Les's on, but it had a shirt and while he didn't look as gorgeous as Les, he still looked pretty darn good.

The party went on for hours and was so much fun. It wasn't until the party was close to ending that all hell broke loose.

I had noticed Annabelle earlier in the night dancing with the guy I'm assuming was Brad. I hadn't seen him around the house before so when I noticed them going upstairs I went to find Les. The only people allowed upstairs in the house were members and I didn't want there to be a problem. I had just found Les when a pause from the DJ caused a slight decrease in sound allowing us to hear a scream coming from upstairs. Les, Bobby and I took off upstairs to find where the scream was coming from. We heard the screaming again as we were halfway down the hall to the rooms and Les quickly knocked the door open.

On the other side of the door was Annabelle being held down on a bed, her dress up around her waist and "Brad" between her legs. It was obvious that he was trying to hold her mouth, but her thrashing allowed the few screams to be heard. Les and Bobby quickly grabbed Brad and pulled him away from Annabelle and I rushed to her side to make sure she was ok. In the struggle between Les, Bobby and Brad something was knocked over onto an outlet and sparks shot out from the plug. Whoever's room this was, they were not the neatest guys, and as the sparks shot out, they caught on clothes that were on the floor nearby. The clothes ignited, which caused the drapes to ignite and pretty soon, fire was spreading throughout the room.

We moved into action and quickly evacuated the room. Les handed Brad over to Bobby to get him out of the house while he checked and made sure all the rooms upstairs were empty. I ripped my cape off and used it to cover Annabelle as best I could because her dress was torn and we headed downstairs to help get people out of the house quickly.

Thankfully, everyone got out safely, but by the time the fire trucks arrived, there wasn't much left of the SAE house. We stood out front for a while giving statements to the police and staring at the rubble in utter disbelief. I never even noticed the news vans.

Annabelle didn't say much after giving her statement to the police. They carted Brad off and told her they may need to ask her more questions but that they would be in touch. Les walked us back to our dorm room before heading to Bobby's apartment to crash. We didn't get to sleep until 3 a.m.

At 7 a.m. I was pulled from sleep by the shrill ringing of my room phone. No one in their right mind calls a college student at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning. I croaked out a hello and instantly regretted answering the phone.

"Stephanie Michelle Plum! What were you thinking?" My mother. Ugh.

"Huh?" That's me, the oh-so eloquent Stephanie.

"Your Aunt Sophia who retired to Orlando saw the news out of Miami this morning about a frat house burning down last night."

"That wasn't my fault!" I quickly defended myself.

"She said she saw you in the background and was appalled at the outfit you were wearing. She said you looked like a slutted-up version of Wonder Woman and that she was embarrassed to be your Aunt."

Aunt Sophia, my Dad's sister was definitely not a prude, and I can't believe she would say she was embarrassed to be my Aunt. "She really said that?" I asked trying to keep my voice from cracking.

"Well, she said you had on a very sexy costume and wanted to know where you got it, but that's beside the point. Why would you go out in public wearing something so risqué and then burn down a house?"

I let loose a large sigh. Of course it would be my fault, everything always is. "Mom, you can't buy a costume that _isn't_ sexy these days, and I'm in college. It's what people do. And the fire wasn't my fault. It was an accident."

"I don't believe that. How do you accidentally burn down a house? And I know I raised you better than to go out of the house in lingerie that you are too young to even own and strut around asking to be taken advantage of."

"Mom, Joe Morelli took advantage of me when I was wearing jeans, a polo shirt and an apron after working in a bakery for 8 hours. I don't think it matters what a woman is wearing. And a guy who was trying to hurt my roommate caused the fire. It was NOT MY FAULT. I'm sorry, but I've got to go now." And I hung up. On my mother. Oh, I'm going to Hell!

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

After the phone conversation with my mother I had unplugged the phone and gone back to sleep. Several hours later I woke up to Annabelle sitting in her bed, staring at me with tears in her eyes.

"Hi," I said.

She sniffed a few times and whispered, "Hi."

"You okay?" I asked her. I can't imagine how afraid she must have been when Brad attacked her.

"Yeah, you guys got there in time." She didn't say anything else for a long time and then, "I'm so sorry."

"Sorry for what, Annabelle?"

"I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. How I've talked about your friends. They saved me. If you and those guys,"

"Les and Bobby," I interrupted.

"If you, Les and Bobby hadn't gotten there in time," and she burst into tears again.

I got up from my bed and joined her in hers, putting my arms around her to comfort her. "Hey, its okay. The important thing is we did get there in time."

"But why, why did you help me? I have been horrible to you."

"No matter what, no one deserves that, Annabelle. No one. But I hope you see now that just because Les and Bobby have a different color skin than you do, it doesn't make them bad. Brad was the bad guy here."

"I know. It's just, my whole life my Mom has talked about all the help that works for my Dad and how horrible and dirty they are. And that I shouldn't trust them or anyone that looked like them."

"Maybe your Mom isn't always right." I said, slightly projecting my feelings toward my own mother onto Annabelle.

"Yep, I'm beginning to figure that out." She didn't say anything else for a little bit and then, "I would really like to talk to Les and Bobby, and thank them for helping me."

"I'm supposed to meet Les for lunch at 1, which gives us about an hour to get ready. Why don't we go clean up some and you can join us? I'm sure Bobby will be there too."

"Really? Go to lunch with you guys?"

"Sure, come on. Fresh start and you can get to know the guys. I promise they really are great."

Annabelle smiled and nodded. Maybe us staying roommates happened for a reason, and changing Annabelle's warped way of thinking was it. Whatever it was, I'll take it.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Well, what do you think? Was the party ok? I know they didn't go as superheroes, but I hope you aren't disappointed. Up next, Thanksgiving and then Christmas. What should happen? Thoughts? Suggestions? Let me know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Because of all of the AMAZING reviews and support I've been giving, I've decided to give you a little teaser before Friday's chapter. I know it is short, but Enjoy!**

_Previously:_

"_Sure, come on. Fresh start and you can get to know the guys. I promise they really are great."_

_Annabelle smiled and nodded. Maybe us staying roommates happened for a reason, and changing Annabelle's warped way of thinking was it. Whatever it was, I'll take it._

**Ch. 9**

_**Three weeks later…**_

It has been a crazy few weeks. After the Halloween disaster, Annabelle really opened up to me. She was going to class again and really trying, but was still afraid that she would probably flunk the semester. I helped her set up a tutor through the school and even studied with her occasionally. She and her tutor got along really well…really well. His name is Armando and he has even stayed over a few nights in our room. It is a little weird at times seeing them cuddled up in the twin bed together, but as long as I don't see, or hear anything romantic going on, I guess I'm ok with it. He seems really nice and I'm honestly shocked at Annabelle's drastic turn around.

I went to the SAE winter formal with Lester last week. It went from great to uncomfortably awkward in about 2.5 seconds when Lester kissed me good night. He looked amazing and we had slow danced most of the night. When I think back now, I guess it really was like a date and I should have been expecting a good night kiss, but in reality, I had started to see Les as somewhat of a big brother and the idea of anything ruining the great relationship we had was depressing. We haven't spoken since the kiss and it has been 5 days. Thanksgiving is only 2 days away and I'm stuck here in Miami. Not that I wanted to go home, but the idea of spending the holiday alone in my dorm room is enough to make me want to cry. And I hate crying!

Bobby is going to New York to visit his Uncle Tommy with the rest of his family. Cal is going to his Grandma's house in Philadelphia, Bridget is going home to Kentucky and Alicia and Jeannette are both going home for the holiday too. Annabelle was debating on staying in Miami to be with Armando, but the pressure from her mother was too much for her and now she is going to Atlanta. I was hoping to hang out with Les, but since we haven't spoken in 5 days, I don't think that is going to happen.

It was 9 p.m. on Tuesday and I was about halfway through a pint of Ben & Jerry's when there was a knock on the dorm room door. I knew Annabelle was spending the night at Armando's and I couldn't imagine who would be here at this hour. I opened the door to find Lester holding a pint of Ben & Jerry's just like the one I was eating and sporting a grin. I greeted him with a huge smile and said, "It's about time you showed up."

He entered the room and said, "Yeah, sorry Beautiful. I had some things to work out."

"Want to talk about those things?" I asked him as he climbed onto my bed with me and started to dig into the carton of ice cream he had brought.

"I've been trying to figure out what was wrong with that kiss."

I gulped and couldn't look at him. How do you tell a guy that kissing him is like kissing your brother without hurting his feelings?

"And the more I thought about it, I had to figure it was because it felt like I was kissing my sister or something. I mean, I know I don't have a sister, but I figure that is what it would feel like to kiss her if I did."

I gaped at him, first because he said he thought kissing me felt like kissing his sister, and second because he was rambling. I didn't know guys rambled. At least not good-looking, confident guys like Lester.

Before I could say anything he noticed me staring at him and chimed in again. "Damnit! I knew I was going to screw this up. It isn't that you aren't a good kisser, Beautiful. Honest. It's just that I feel like maybe…" He either didn't want to finish or didn't know how to, so I thought I would save him.

"Les, kissing you felt like kissing my brother. Not that I have one, but…" I said smiling at him.

"Oh thank God!" He said with a smile.

"Does this mean we can go back to hanging out and being friends without all the weirdness," I asked.

"Hell yes. What are you doing for Thanksgiving?"

"Well, I was waiting on you to get your head out of your ass and invite me to dinner with you. If you hadn't, it was going to be a cold turkey sandwich here, watching the parade and football in my pajamas."

"Have no fear, Beautiful, my head is officially removed from my ass. What do you say you come with me to my Abuela's house for dinner? We usually get together around 11, watch some football and eat at 1. This year, my Aunt Maria, Uncle Ricardo and cousins are coming down too. So it should be fun."

"How many cousins?" I asked.

"Six. Two guys and four girls. My cousin Celia is really cool and just a little bit older than me, making her about a year and a half older than you. I have a feeling you two will get along great."

"That sounds awesome, Les. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Beautiful. It takes about 30 minutes to get to my Abuela's house from here, so how about I pick you up at 10:30?"

"Sounds like a plan. What should I wear?"

"Well, Abuela doesn't want fancy, but she doesn't like casual on a holiday either. If you've got something that would be suitable for church, I say wear that. Nothing too fancy, but jeans are a big no-no."

"I think I can handle that."

We finished our ice cream and watched Ghostbusters until it was almost midnight. Les headed back to his and Bobby's apartment and I climbed under the covers after brushing my teeth and washing my face.

As I lay in bed I couldn't help but think how thankful I was that Les and I had worked it out and were going to stay friends. He really was the best guy friend I had ever had. And I was even more thankful that I wasn't going to have to spend Thanksgiving alone.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Guess who's coming to dinner? I know it is incredibly short, but this is just a teaser for Friday's chapter. I wasn't going to introduce Carlos until much later, but I found myself missing him too. And while he isn't going to be a constant character just yet, we are going to get a taste of the chemistry that they will undoubtedly have. Let me know if there is something you think should happen at Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks!**

**Amy**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**You all are incredible. I cannot believe that with just 9 chapters I have 120 reviews. I am so very excited. It feels like a holiday. So…here comes Thanksgiving! Oh, and for the sake of my story…Abuela Rosa speaks English.**

_Previously:_

_We finished our ice cream and watched Ghostbusters until it was almost midnight. Les headed back to his and Bobby's apartment and I climbed under the covers after brushing my teeth and washing my face._

_As I lay in bed I couldn't help but think how thankful I was that Les and I had worked it out and were going to stay friends. He really was the best guy friend I had ever had. And I was even more thankful that I wasn't going to have to spend Thanksgiving alone._

**Ch. 10**

The couple of days before Thanksgiving went by much faster than anticipated, and before I knew it I was watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and getting ready for dinner at Les's Abuela's house. He had told me a little bit about his family and I was really excited to meet them all.

His Uncle Ricardo, or Tio Ricardo as he referred to him, was his mother's younger brother and only sibling, so he had been closest to him and his family since his parents' passing. Les's father had been an only child so as extended family went, he was pretty limited. Les and his uncle are very close, and if he hadn't had his hands full with his own children, Les probably would have moved in with them when his parents passed away. Les spent hours praising his uncle and talking about what a good man he was and how excited he was for him to meet me, especially considering I was now his honorary sister.

His Tia Maria is equally as special in Les's eyes. According to Les she is a very strong willed, beautiful woman who protects her own. She runs her house firm but fair and has enough love for her six kids with more to spare. He told me how Ricardo and Maria were high school sweethearts and they got married right out of high school. Celia followed a year later.

Celia, their oldest, and Les are only a few months apart in age and have a brother/sister relationship even though they are cousins. They fight like siblings, but protect each other fiercely. He did say Celia can be a little on the bossy side, but really, what female doesn't get that way at times?

Carlos followed Celia only 15 months later. When he told me that I think my mouth must have fallen open from the way he laughed at me. I cannot imagine having two children that close together in age. Les said Carlos is his best friend. He even came down and lived with Abuela Rosa for most of high school after he got into a little bit of trouble. Les looked very wistful talking about the relationship he and Carlos have and how he felt more like a brother to him than his own brother, Alejandro, ever did. 'Los, as Les referred to him, moved back up to New Jersey to attend Rutgers just this fall. He mentioned that 'Los was thinking about joining the Army too, but hadn't decided anything officially. He did mention that 'Los was really loving his business classes and that he had even taken a full load including online classes so he could finish early. He said he imagined him owning his own company someday. Apparently, Abuela Rosa really straightened him out.

After Carlos, Maria and Ricardo waited a bit longer to have more children. They have Veronica who is 3 years younger than Carlos, making her 16, Antonio who is a year younger than Veronica and then Angelica (Angie) and Gabriella (Gabby) who are twins and are both 13. I do not envy Maria having three teenage girls in the house. I know how terrible it was with just two. If we had added another to the mix I don't think we would have all made it out alive.

Lester isn't as close with the younger siblings as he is with Celia and Carlos, but they are still close. From the way he has described his family, I found myself quite jealous of the closeness they share. I don't have anyone in my family that I'm that close to, well, except for Grandpa and Grandma Mazur. Aunt Sophia, Dad's sister, only had one child and my Mom was an only child. So except for my sleazy cousin, Vinnie, I've got no one but Saint Valerie. If nothing else, this Thanksgiving will give me a glimpse of what it is like to spend the holidays with a big family.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Les knocked on my dorm room door at 10:30 on the dot. I gave myself one last glance in the mirror by the door, and opened the door to greet him. Never one to disappoint, Les was standing there looking as handsome as ever. Dressed in a pair of black dress slacks that fit tightly in all the right places and a hunter green button-up long sleeve dress shirt. Les looked amazing.

Giving a wolf whistle, Lester said, "Man, Beautiful. You look amazing!"

"Thanks Les, you don't look too bad yourself."

I was dressed in a pair of winter white dress slacks and a navy blue sweater that fit tight, but not too tight, and went down over my butt. I paired it with a pair of navy blue pumps. My hair, which was being extremely cooperative today, fell in large curls down to my shoulders. I reached over to the dresser and grabbed the bouquet of flowers I had picked up for Les's Abuela and we headed out the door.

As if it were timed perfectly, we pulled up to a little old house exactly at 11. The house was a two-story house with white siding, situated at the end of a cul-de-sac in a cozy subdivision. Parked out front was a van with New Jersey tags. I guess Lester's family had arrived already. As if on cue, the front door opened and a beautiful young woman stepped out on to the porch. Based on the descriptions Les had given me before, it must be Celia. As soon as Les was out of the Jeep, Celia was down the stairs and leaping into his arms. With a tight squeeze, Lester said, "It's so good to see you, Ceels. Man I've missed you."

As he sat her down, she noticed me and gave me a quizzical look before turning her attention back to Lester. Picking up on her desire for an introduction, Lester said, "Celia, this is my good friend Stephanie. Steph this is my favorite cousin, Celia."

"Nice to meet you," I said extending my hand.

Apparently not shy, Celia pulled me into a hug and said, "Stephanie it is so great to meet you. Lester has told me so much about you."

"Nothing bad, I hope," I said.

"Nothing bad at all. He told me all about your sass and great spirit and that he thought the two of us would get along very well."

"I'm sure we will," I said as Celia lead us into the house. As soon as we walked into the living room the room went quiet. I gave a quick glance around and noticed that everyone must have been in there except Ricardo, Maria, Abuela Rosa and Carlos.

"Hey everybody, this is Steph. Steph, this is everybody." Les introduced us. I gave a smile and a finger wave to the group.

Les grabbed my hand and said, "Let's go find Tio Ricardo and Tia Maria, Beautiful. I'm sure they are dying to meet you. And I know Abuela Rosa is around here somewhere."

We entered the kitchen and found Lester's aunt and uncle wrapped in an embrace and sharing a kiss. In all my 19 years, I had never seen my mother and father kiss like that. Not that that was necessarily a bad thing, but I could feel the electricity in the room. Lester cleared his throat and his aunt and uncle separated like two teenagers caught by an adult and gave a laugh and hauled Lester into a group hug. I couldn't help but smile at the beautiful sight they made.

Once their hug was over, Lester introduced me to them. I started to call his Tio Ricardo, Mr. and he immediately corrected me and said, "Call me Ricardo, hija _(daughter)_. Lester tells me you are like family to him, which makes you family to us."

"And I'm Maria, darling girl," Lester's aunt said. I felt slightly overwhelmed by the warmth Les's family was showing me and I had to blink quickly to avoid tears spilling.

"Tio Ricardo, where is Abuela?" Les asked.

"Ahh, she and Carlos are out for a walk. You know how she is with him, she has to make sure he is still on the straight and narrow."

"I'm surprised she left the kitchen. I know how particular she is about basting the turkey every 30 minutes," Lester said with a laugh.

"Well, I promised to look after her turkey, but I'm afraid your uncle distracted me," Maria said. "Thank you for the reminder. I better get to basting before I ruin the meal. Stephanie, do you cook?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "If I were this close to the stove back home, my mother would have a heart attack," I said. "I can chop for a salad and stir if I'm the only one around and it is either that or letting it burn to the bottom of the pan. But other than that, I'm not much help."

"I'm sure you underestimate your abilities, dear," Maria said. "Come here, I will teach you how to baste a turkey."

I felt panic setting in. "Oh, I would hate to ruin dinner," I said backing out of the kitchen.

"Nonsense child, I'll be right here showing you how to do it. Nothing will be ruined." Maria said in what had to have been the most comforting voice I had ever heard.

Les and his uncle left the kitchen and Maria and I set out to baste the turkey. It was a much easier process than I had expected, and before I knew it, it was over. Maria and I chatted over the various pots in the kitchen, giving them all a stir and making sure everything was on track for the 1 p.m. lunchtime. Judging by the smells, I could only imagine how delicious everything was going to taste.

Two more rounds of stirring and one more round of basting later, and Lester's Abuela joined us in the kitchen. She came up to me immediately and pulled me into a tight hug. "It is so wonderful to finally meet you, hermosa niña _(beautiful child)_. My Lester has told me so much about the beautiful girl who has become his best friend."

"He is my best friend too," I said shyly. "And he has told me all about you as well," I said. "I'm so honored that you have welcomed me into your home for the holidays."

"You are welcome any time, niña _(child)_. And thank you for the beautiful flowers. Lester said they were from you."

"Thank you and you're welcome," I said with a smile.

"My Lester is out back with his primo _(cousin)_, and I know he would like to introduce you. Why don't you go on outside and join them. Maria and I can handle things from here."

I nodded and headed toward the back door. There was a deck with steps that led down to a large back yard. When I stepped outside, I literally could not believe my eyes. There stood the most gorgeous man I had ever seen in my life. I thought Les was gorgeous, but his cousin…pure perfection. He stood about two, maybe three, inches shorter than Les, but his skin was a shade darker, a beautiful mocha latte color, which just served to accent his long dark hair that landed at his shoulders and his piercing brown eyes. I stood frozen on the top step of the deck taking in his beauty. It was obvious he worked out, as he seemed even more physically fit than Lester. In fact, it didn't look like there was an ounce of fat on him. I was so entranced by this Adonis standing next to Lester, that I missed the first step as I headed down to meet him, and stumbled head over heels down the rest landing flat on my back on the ground below.

Lester and Carlos rushed over to make sure I was okay, and all I could do was close my eyes and wish I were invisible. When I opened my eyes, my breath caught at the sight of _the_ most beautiful smile I have ever seen.

"Well, you aren't invisible, Beautiful but are you okay?" Les asked extending his hand to help me up.

I could feel the redness of my face. "Yeah. You know me, I like to make an entrance," I said trying to make light of the fact that I just fell down the stairs.

Carlos gave me a slight smile at that and I couldn't help but wonder if he was silently laughing because he thought I had a sense of humor or because I just fell down the stairs.

Lester pulled me to my feet and turned toward Carlos with his arm around my shoulders and said, "'Los, this is my best friend, Stephanie. Steph, this is my other best friend and cousin, Carlos."

I reached my hand out and said, "Nice to meet you."

As Carlos took my hand I felt a slight jolt of electricity that shot through my hand and then traveled throughout my body. I noticed Carlos's eyes widen slightly as if he felt it too and then with a slight nod he gave me a one-word answer, "Babe".

Lester looked between us as Carlos and I stood, practically frozen, staring into each other eyes. Then with a slight squeeze to my shoulders, Lester broke the moment by saying, "Carlos and I were just talking about playing a game of one-on-one before dinner. You don't mind, do you Beautiful?"

I must have given Lester a look that screamed he was crazy considering they were both dressed in what one might call their "Sunday Best" and I couldn't imagine Abuela Rosa being happy with them coming to the dinner table sweaty and a mess if jeans weren't okay.

"I have extra clothes in my room upstairs that we can change into. It is still an hour before dinner, and I feel the need to work up an appetite," Lester said as if it were an answer to my unspoken question.

"I don't mind. I can chat with Celia up on the porch. That is if the steps don't come out and attack me again," I replied.

With a chuckle from Carlos and Lester, we all headed back up the stairs to the deck. I stood outside waiting, taking a moment to calm my hormones. I could certainly think of another way to work up an appetite with Carlos and playing basketball wasn't it.

Celia joined me a short time later and we sat talking as Carlos and Lester proceeded to the back of Rosa's property where the basketball hoop stood surrounded by a concrete square.

Celia and I were laughing at some of the antics she was describing to me about Lester and Carlos as younger boys when Maria came outside to let us know dinner was ready. I hadn't even noticed that Carlos and Lester were no longer outside.

We washed up and headed to the dining room. Celia and I were the last two to walk in and there were only two seats left around the crowded table. One was between Ricardo and Carlos and the other between Carlos and Lester. Celia quickly claimed the seat between her father and younger brother, leaving me to squeeze in between Carlos and Lester.

Once we were all seated, Maria led us all in a prayer of thanks for the food and then everyone began to fill their plates and dig in. I couldn't believe the food. I thought my mother put out a nice spread on the holidays, but it didn't even hold a candle to the table full of food before me.

The gorgeous turkey, which had been carved by Ricardo, sat in the middle of the table surrounded by bowls of the most delicious smelling side dishes. I still had no idea what half of it was, but I knew that I was starving and I couldn't wait to taste a little of everything.

Minutes later my plate was filled and I started to dig in. It took Lester clearing his throat for me to realize the table was silent and everyone was staring at me. I looked around the table and then down at myself to make sure I hadn't spilled when Lester let out a chuckle and said, "You must really like the food, Beautiful."

I gave him a puzzled look and he continued saying, "I haven't heard noises like that since," and he was immediately silenced by the smack to the back of his head by his Abuela.

I gave a sheepish smile and a mumbled, "Sorry".

Maria gave me a warm smile and said, "Don't apologize dear. It is wonderful to see someone enjoy our cooking so much."

In what I'm sure was an attempt to take the attention off of me, Ricardo spoke up and said, "Okay everyone, it is time to go around the table and say what you are thankful for."

My family never did this, the only conversation at the dinner table was usually my mother giving me a hard time or praising Valerie for being just like her. I listened to everyone expressing thanks for various things, good grades on a test, a good review at a job, everyone being together this year, the fact that it is almost Christmas, and just when I thought everyone was finished, their eyes turned to me.

I almost chocked on my bite of turkey and weakly asked, "Me?"

Les gave me a nod and a nudge and I was at a loss for what to say. I cleared my throat and decided to speak from my heart. "I'm thankful to have found such an amazing friend in Lester. He has become my best friend and my brother in so many ways. Even though I'm many miles from home, I feel like I have a family here in Miami. And I couldn't be more thankful for that." I cleared my throat again and continued. "I'm also very thankful for all of you. Not many people would welcome someone they have never met into their home and treat them like they belong there. You have treated me like a member of your family since I walked in the door. Thank you so much."

Maria gave me a warm smile, Ricardo said, "Of course dear. Any sister of Lester's is family to us", Rosa was smiling brightly, Lester gave me an elbow nudge and then Carlos took my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. I instantly felt that jolt of electricity again and I couldn't help but smile.

Conversations returned to normal and we all continued eating. Carlos didn't let go of my hand and I found myself slightly distracted, but thankfully still able to continue eating my dinner. Lester was telling a story of a recent softball game we played in together when Veronica shouted out, "I knew it! I thought that was you!"

Glances went from Veronica to me and I had no idea what was going on.

"I didn't put it together when Lester just introduced you as Steph, but you're Stephanie Plum, right? The Stephanie Plum?"

I had no idea where she could have known me from, so I simply nodded, unable to form words.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I can't wait to tell Sasha that I had Thanksgiving dinner with Stephanie Plum!" Veronica was bouncing in her seat, practically shouting and wearing a smile that nearly split her face in half.

"How do you know Steph, Roni?" Lester asked.

"She is the girl I told you about last spring. The one who totally creamed us at State, throwing the no-hitter and hitting a triple and a home run against our best pitcher," Veronica stated excitedly.

I blushed slightly. It was true, I had done really well at the State softball tournament last year, but I had no idea that Veronica was on one of the opposing teams.

"I'm from Newark Catholic. We played Trenton High in the finals last year. You guys whooped us so bad, it made us look like the Bad News Bears. We were undefeated until we played you. You're amazing!" Veronica stated emphatically.

"Thanks," I replied shyly. "I just had a really good game."

"No way. I was on the bench and there were scouts in the stands. They said you were the best they had seen in a long time and couldn't believe you didn't want to play college ball."

Now I was shocked. What did she mean? "What do you mean I didn't want to play college ball?" I asked, totally confused.

"Yeah. I was sitting on the bench and I heard three scouts from different colleges talking. They had each apparently offered you a full ride to play for them, but said you turned them down."

I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. "I'm sorry, but you must be mistaken. They had to have been talking about someone else. No one offered me anything. I would have loved to play in college."

Now Veronica looked confused. "I'm positive. They were talking about you. Are you sure you didn't get an offer somewhere?"

I had a sick feeling in my stomach. She wouldn't? Would she?

"I'm sure that if someone offered for me to play softball for them, the offer wasn't made directly to me. I'm sorry, will you excuse me?" I asked as I dropped Carlos's hand, quickly stood up and went outside to the front porch. I couldn't decide if I was going to throw up, scream or pass out. All I knew for certain was that I needed some air, and I needed it quickly.

About 10 minutes passed when I heard someone step out the back door and approach me. I felt a slight tingle on the back of my neck, I reached my hand up to touch my neck and turned my head to see Carlos standing there.

"Hi," I said, turning back to face the street that I had been staring at for the last 10 minutes while my mind raced.

"Hey. You okay, Babe?" He asked.

"Yes. No. I don't know. I'm having a really hard time grasping what your sister was saying in there."

He didn't say anything, he just moved closer to me, sending a shiver down my spine when I felt his breath on the back of my neck. I took a step back into his body and felt myself start to relax into him when the door flew open and I jumped away.

"Hey Beautiful," Les said. "You okay? You've been gone a while and I was starting to get worried."

"I'm fine, Les. Thanks. But I could really use some dessert."

That got a chuckle from Lester and Carlos as Les stepped closer, wrapped his arm around my shoulder, and led me back inside.

The table had been cleaned off and a variety of desserts now filled it. Maria explained the two dishes I didn't recognize. One was a caramel flan and the other was a pumpkin flan, both looking equally appetizing. There was also a traditional pumpkin pie, pecan pie and an apple pie. It took a while to decide but I finally chose the caramel flan and a piece of pumpkin pie. I could tell I was moaning over my dessert when I noticed both Lester and Carlos shifting in their seats. I tried desperately to stop, but I think a few more might have escaped before I was finished.

After dinner, we watched football and then played card games and an almost violent game of spoons, before it was time for Les and I to head back toward campus. Abuela Rosa's house was big, but not big enough for everyone to sleep comfortably, so Carlos decided to join Lester at his apartment. As we were leaving, Maria invited me to come back the next day for breakfast and to help decorate for Christmas. It was a family tradition to decorate after Thanksgiving. I graciously accepted and with a big hug from Maria, Ricardo and Abuela Rosa, we headed out.

I let Carlos have shotgun and climbed into the back of the jeep for the 30-minute drive back to campus. As we were nearing the dorms Lester spoke up. "Okay, Beautiful. We'll pick you up at 9 tomorrow so we can get to Abuela's house for a late breakfast. How about after we finish decorating we head over to the park and play a game or two of softball?"

I felt a flash of anger before I made myself calm down. "Sure, Les. Sounds great."

We pulled up in front of the dorms around 10 p.m., and Carlos got out to make it easier for me to get out from the back seat. As soon as I got out, Carlos placed his hand on the small of my back sending warmth throughout my body. He then shut the jeep door and said to Les, "I'm going to walk her up. I'll be right back down."

With a leery look and a nod from Les, we headed inside. Carlos took my hand as the doors on the elevator closed and I found myself wishing it would break down. Unfortunately, it kept going and before I knew it the door was opening on the seventh floor.

I stepped off first and Carlos followed with his hand back on the small of my back as we headed to the end of the hallway. When we reached my door, I pulled my keys out of my purse and said, "This is it" as I unlocked the door.

I turned to tell him thank you for walking me up, but as I lifted my head to look at him, his face quickly moved down and his lips caught mine. It had to have been the hottest, most toe curling kiss in the history of all kisses. We kissed for what could have been hours or only moments and we pulled away both slightly breathless.

Carlos leaned in again and whispered, "See you tomorrow, Babe. Sweet dreams," as he tucked a curl behind my ear. I had no words and simply nodded as he turned and walked back down the hallway. 'Holy cow, Happy Thanksgiving,' I thought as I put my fingers to my still tingling lips and headed inside to get ready for bed. I'm not sure what that kiss was about, but I can only hope there might be a repeat tomorrow.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Was Thanksgiving to your liking? What would you like to see for the day after Thanksgiving? Maybe a little "Under the Mistletoe" moment? I was also thinking of starting it with Carlos's POV from Thanksgiving. What do you think? Please let me know.**

**Amy**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**You all are incredible. I cannot believe the support everyone has offered. I have tried to thank everyone personally for their review. If I missed, I am so sorry, and please know how much I truly appreciate it. For your reading pleasure…I give you Carlos's POV. When he and Lester talk that have slight potty mouths, so heads up for a little language. Oh, and for the sake of my story, Abuela Rosa speaks English.**

**Sorry for the re-post. I had to fix a couple mistakes.  
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_Previously:_

_I turned to tell him thank you for walking me up, but as I lifted my head to look at him, his face quickly moved down and his lips caught mine. It had to have been the hottest, most toe curling kiss in the history of all kisses. We kissed for what could have been hours or only moments and we pulled away both slightly breathless._

_Carlos leaned in again and whispered, "See you tomorrow, Babe. Sweet dreams," as he tucked a curl behind my ear. I had no words and simply nodded as he turned and walked back down the hallway. 'Holy cow, Happy Thanksgiving,' I thought as I put my fingers to my still tingling lips and headed inside to get ready for bed. I'm not sure what that kiss was about, but I can only hope there might be a repeat tomorrow._

**Ch. 11**

**Carlos's POV**

Please, dear God get me out of this car before I completely lose it. It has been the longest two and a half days in the history of mankind. Not only did I have to miss two classes to drive to Miami with my family for Thanksgiving, but also my sisters are about to make me crazy. If I hear one more conversation about what shoes look best with a certain dress, which brand of makeup is the best, and how this boy looked at one of them this way I'm going to lose it. First of all, buy black shoes, they go with everything. Second of all, they are beautiful girls none of them need makeup. And third, boys shouldn't be looking at my little sisters if they know what's good for them. Celia, she is pretty good at taking care of herself, but the other three, well, they are just too young to be dating.

Not to mention, spending a great deal of time in a confined space with Mama and Papa is pure torture. They still act like lovesick teenagers with each other, and while I appreciate how much they love each other, I don't need to see it, or hear it. Papa calls Mama 'Babe', and while I know it is a term of endearment, I can't imagine ever wanting to call a woman, 'Babe'. Don't get me wrong, I like women, shit, I _love_ women but to have such an intimate 'pet name' for one…nope, not me.

When we finally pulled up in front of Abuela's house, I practically fell out of the van and was ready to kiss the ground, but her nosy neighbor was on the porch so I held it together. It was a little after 10 a.m. and I knew Lester was going to be here soon. Thank God because I needed a little better balance of testosterone to estrogen.

After exchanging pleasantries with Abuela, which is code for getting kissed on the cheeks about a dozen times and hugged until you think you've cracked a rib, we headed inside with our suitcases. Abuela's house is a nice sized house, much too big for just her, but a little too small when we are all there to visit. Thankfully, Lester has an apartment in Miami, so I'll be able to escape with him tonight and not draw sofa city. His roommate is out of town, so one of us can crash in his bed.

Once everyone's things were settled, Mama and Papa went into the kitchen with Abuela. I was just sitting down in the living room where the girls were watching the parade and Antonio was mumbling prayers for a football game soon when Abuela came in and asked me to join her for a walk.

"Carlito, come. We walk before your cousin arrives."

I had expected this, only not so soon after our arrival. She liked to catch up with me and make sure I was still walking the straight and narrow path. She spent a few years 'knocking the wicked out of me and she wanted to make sure it hadn't returned', as she put it.

We were barely off the front steps when she started in on me. "How is college, my Carlito? Are you getting good grades? Staying out of trouble? Have you met a young woman that will give me great-grandchildren yet?"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud at her. Just a year ago she was telling me not to rush things and that I had better not make her a great-grandmother before her time.

"School is muy bueno _(very good), _Abuela. My classes are difficult, but I am doing well and pulling in good grades. Thanks to the classes I took at the community college here, I should have a degree in just three years if I stick to a similar schedule to what I have now. And no, no women yet. I'm trying to stay _out_ of trouble, remember?"

She laughed at that. I loved to hear my Abuela laugh. It was a hearty laugh and after causing her many tears several years ago, I vowed to make her laugh as often as possible as retribution.

We continued walking for nearly an hour, talking about what I was learning in my classes, the people I spend my time with and Lester. She is worried about his decision to join the Army and afraid for him. I spent a great deal of time trying to reassure her that he could join and not even see real combat, but she told me she felt like bad things were coming and it had her nervous. Once Abuela realized how long we had been gone she decided we should head back to make sure Mama hadn't let the turkey go dry. She was also sure Lester would be there by now, and she was anxious to meet his friend he was bringing along. I had talked to him about a week ago and he hadn't mentioned inviting anyone to dinner. I could only hope it was Cal or one of his frat brothers. Like I said before, I needed a surge of testosterone to help keep the levels more balanced.

When we arrived back at the house, and a typically enthusiastic Lester greeted me.

"'Los! Man, its great to see you," he said pulling me into a hug. Lester always was the touchy feely type. Abuela disappeared into the kitchen to check on Mama after a quick hug and a kiss to Lester, and he and I headed out back to talk.

We headed down the deck stairs and into the yard to avoid anyone in the family over hearing us.

"Seriously, 'Los. I'm so glad you are here. It just isn't the same without you in Miami. How's Rutgers? The ladies?" He asked with a smirk.

"Rutgers is school. It is good, but sometimes I wish I had just stayed in Miami. Mama and Papa are constantly checking up on me and some of my old crowd works the area. It is complicated at best. I just keep my head down and my nose in the books. I figure that's the best way to stay out of trouble. As for the ladies…" I left it there, giving him my famous wolf grin and letting him think what he wanted. I didn't want to admit to the fact that I hadn't really been out much. I haven't met anyone yet that was worth the effort. They are all after my body, and the last time I gave into a chick that was just after sex, it got me in trouble and shipped off to live with my Abuela and cousin. For now, I'm good without a chick screwing things up.

"What about you? Any progress on rebuilding the house? Any ladies for you?"

"I'm good. Just working hard so that my grades are good this semester, and studying for my ASVAB so I don't run into any trouble in May. They are still working out the insurance on the house, so I doubt I'll be back in it at all. But it's cool. Bobby's got a two bedroom, and lucky for me the extra room was vacant so I'm good. No ladies. Steph and I went out a few times, but she really is more like a sister to me than anything else. But, her friend Bridget…HOT! I plan on asking her out once she gets back from visiting her family for Thanksgiving."

"Steph?" I asked.

"Yeah, man. I told you about Stephanie. I call her Beautiful most of the time. She's the girl from Jersey I met when she was moving in. Sassy, funny as hell and flat fucking gorgeous."

"You'd call your sister 'flat fucking gorgeous'?" I asked being a bit of a smart ass.

"Hey, I'm not going to sleep with her, but I'm not blind. The girl is gorgeous. And the best part, she doesn't even see it. She has the bluest eyes you've ever seen and the longest legs. She runs and plays softball, but then eats total garbage. She is smart and stubborn as hell, but has the kindest heart of anyone I've ever met before. I can't even do her justice describing her. You'll know what I mean when you meet her."

"Meet her? When am I gonna meet her? We're leaving Saturday afternoon."

"I thought Celia would have told you. She's here. She couldn't afford to go back to Jersey for Thanksgiving. That or she didn't want to. I asked her to come here to hang with us."

It was just about then when I got the feeling that someone was watching me. I turned my head just in time to see the girl I presumed was Stephanie falling down the stairs. Les and I rushed over to her to make sure she was ok. She was lying there with her eyes closed tight and was whispering, "Please, just let me be invisible". I couldn't help but smile at her.

She opened her eyes and I felt my heart skip a beat and my breath caught. Luckily Les was distracted by her potential injury and didn't notice. But holy Madre de Dios _(mother of God),_ she is gorgeous. Les wasn't kidding when he talked about how blue her eyes were. He didn't mention her curly hair, but the way it haloed around her head as she lay on the ground, I don't even know how to describe how beautiful she looked. Les leaned down to help her up and asked her if she was ok. She came back with a witty comment saying, "Yeah. You know me, I like to make an entrance."

I smiled at her again. That had to have hurt, but the fact that she wasn't whining about it or trying to have Les, or even me, fawn over her impressed me. I could already tell she was different.

When Les introduced us and she reached out to shake my hand, I never expected the jolt I would receive when we touched. I felt the warmth of her hand and a spark of electricity shot through my body. I know my eyes widened, I couldn't help it. In that very second, I wanted to wrap my arms around her and kiss her. I had never had that reaction to a woman before, ever, and I couldn't believe it. Before my mind was able to control my mouth, out popped the word I never thought I would call a woman. "Babe."

I couldn't take my eyes off of hers, and it wasn't until Lester started talking again that I even realized he was still standing there. 'Way to be aware of your surroundings, Manoso,' I thought to myself.

Lester told her we were going to play some basketball and she said something about talking to Celia if the steps didn't attack her again and I couldn't suppress the chuckle that came from my lips. I haven't smiled and laughed this much in a long time, and the fact that this woman, this stranger, was bringing it out in me was very surprising. As we walked inside, I couldn't help but think how glad I was that Lester said he and my Babe were just good friends.

Woah! My babe? Where did that thought come from? Thankfully we I didn't have time to dwell on that thought process as we were heading back outside to play basketball. Unfortunately, Steph and Celia were sitting on the porch laughing and talking the entire time Les was whipping my ass on the court. We were usually pretty evenly matched, but I couldn't focus with her beautiful laugh filling the air. She didn't even notice as Les and I passed by to clean up for dinner.

As we were sitting down to eat, I arranged it so that both open seats were on either side of me. That way, no matter which chair Stephanie chose, it would be next to me. She and Celia came into the dining room and I couldn't help but notice how her blue eyes sparkled. I could get completely lost in those eyes.

As we filled our plates, I couldn't help but grin internally at the amount of food she piled onto her plate. Normally a female eating with people she barely knows will only grab small portions, but not her. Her plate was piled as high as Lester's. I figured there was no way someone with her figure could eat all that food, but she proved me wrong. And boy did she kill me as she was proving me wrong.

The sounds she was making as she dug into her meal where making me as hard as steel under the tablecloth. Thank goodness Abuela maintains a beautiful setting for holidays, otherwise my current state might be more noticeable by my family, which would just be awkward. I was getting to the point where I was going to have to excuse myself when Lester spoke up. "You must really like the food, Beautiful."

It was then I noticed that all eyes at the table were on her, not just mine. She was looking at Lester so I couldn't see the expression on her face when he said, "I haven't heard noises like that since." Thankfully Abuela stopped him from finishing his thought with a smack to the head. I felt a growl bubbling up in my chest, but was able to silence it. I noticed the red on her cheeks as she mumbled an apology. Thankfully, Mama salvaged the situation by saying, "Don't apologize dear. It is wonderful to see someone enjoy our cooking so much."

Papa spoke up next encouraging us all to say what we were thankful for this year. We went around the table offering our thankfulness for a variety of things and when everyone had spoken, eyes turned to Stephanie again. I managed to hide my smile when she offered up a weak, "Me?" How she could moan like she was in the throes of passion in one minute, and be shy about speaking up in the next was funny to me.

I could have never expected her words. She floored me again by saying, "I'm thankful to have found such an amazing friend in Lester. He has become my best friend and my brother in so many ways. Even though I'm many miles from home, I feel like I have a family here in Miami. And I couldn't be more thankful for that." She cleared her throat again and continued. "I'm also very thankful for all of you. Not many people would welcome someone they have never met into their home and treat them like they belong there. You have treated me like a member of your family since I walked in the door. Thank you so much."

I couldn't help but find myself wondering what type of people that she grew up around that she wouldn't be instantly accepted. As far as I could tell in this brief time, she is amazing. She seems to wear her emotions on her sleeve, and has a joyful spirit, which you don't see much of these days. What I wouldn't give to stay in Miami and be surrounded by that spirit on a daily basis.

When my Papa confirmed that she was family to us now, I couldn't stop myself from reaching over to her and taking her hand. I felt the spark between us again and I know she felt it too, as she jumped ever so slightly when I squeezed her hand. I couldn't bring myself to let go, and she didn't seem to be in a hurry for me to release her, so I continued to hold her hand through the rest of dinner.

I was barely paying attention to the conversation at the table, focusing on the feel of my Babe's hand in mine when Veronica started shouting, "I knew it! I thought that was you!"

The conversation between the two of them turned to softball and what an amazing player my Babe was. When Roni mentioned that there were scouts there to recruit her, I felt her posture change and could sense confusion bubbling up in her. It seems that she might not have been aware of the scouts. I noticed her face change as if she realized what might have happened and then she dropped my hand and excused herself.

I managed to wait her out for about 10 minutes by helping Mama to clear the table and stack the dishes in the kitchen. When I couldn't stand it any longer, I slipped out on the front porch to check on her. I felt the magnetic draw between us and moved closer to her. I noticed her lift her hand to the back of her neck before turning her head and offering a soft, "Hi." It was as if she felt me on the porch behind her.

I said back to her, "Hey. You okay, Babe?" I did it again. I couldn't believe I called her Babe again. I don't think I've called her Stephanie yet. I'm not sure what it is about her that has me calling her the same intimate name my father has called my mother for as long as I can remember, but I just can't seem to keep it from falling out of my mouth.

"Yes. No. I don't know. I'm having a really hard time grasping what your sister was saying in there." She offered back. I didn't know what to say, so I just moved closer to her to offer some form of comfort and noticed her shiver as my breath crossed her neck. I felt a slight smile on my lips as I realized I was, indeed, affecting her as much as she was affecting me. She had just leaned back into my body and was starting to relax, when the door behind us flew open and she jumped away. I silently cursed Lester for interrupting, but knew that he knew her better than I did, and she might want his comfort more than mine.

When she mentioned needing dessert, I couldn't help but laugh slightly. After all the food she had consumed, I don't know where she was going to put dessert. We headed back inside to reclaim our seats at the table. Abuela had made caramel flan, my favorite, and even though I had already eaten more than I normally do, I couldn't resist a small portion of it. Steph ate her dessert as passionately as she had eaten the rest of her meal and I found myself shifting in my seat trying to relieve the pressure on my zipper. Man, what I wouldn't give to hear those noises in a more private place.

After dessert, we watched football and played some of our traditional family games to pass the time. I was glad that I was escaping with Lester for the evening, but even more pleased that I would get to spend a little more time with Stephanie. I was thrilled when Mama invited her to join us again tomorrow, although, another day of sharing meals with her might be a new form of torture.

The ride back to campus was a slow 30 minutes. Stephanie had let me have the front seat and I was pleased, as it would cause me to have to get out of the jeep when we arrived back at her dorm. I was hoping to walk her up to her room. True to my plan, when I was standing outside the jeep letting her out, I let Les know I would walk her up and be right back down. My cousin gave me a look that said he would be in after us if I wasn't back down in an appropriate amount of time, but nodded just the same.

I took her hand as we stepped into the elevator and the doors closed behind us. I found myself silently wishing the elevator would break down with us inside. Unfortunately, my wish didn't come true and we were stepping out on the seventh floor in a matter of moments. I thought I might have noticed Stephanie walking a little slower as we headed down the hall toward her room, as if she didn't want to get to her door any faster than I did. When she put her key in the door to unlock it and turned to I'm assuming say goodbye, my control slipped and I found myself moving toward her quickly and claiming her lips with my own.

Of all the women I have shared a kiss with, none of those kisses compared to my first kiss with my Babe. I felt the passion she possessed all through my body and I wanted desperately to throw open the door and take her to the bed that I knew was behind it. After what wasn't nearly enough time, I pulled back from the kiss. I noticed she was breathing as heavily as I was and it took her a few moments longer than me to open her eyes.

I leaned in and whispered, "See you tomorrow, Babe. Sweet dreams," knowing if I didn't walk away from her right that second that I wouldn't be able to. As I got back in the elevator and headed down to meet Lester I found myself hoping that kiss would be repeated, over and over again, tomorrow.

Les gave me a harsh look as I climbed back in the jeep, but managed to avoid saying anything. We pulled up to his apartment and I grabbed my duffel out of the back and followed him inside. Once we were inside he turned to me and I stopped. I wasn't sure if he was going to hit me or not, but after a couple deep breaths he said, "She is really special, man. If you hurt her in any way, cousin or not, _I'll_ hurt _you_."

I nodded slightly and said, "I can see how special she is already. I won't hurt her. You have my word."

With that he nodded, told me I could have his room and headed into Bobby's room to go to sleep. As I lay in the bed I found myself, once again, wishing I had stayed in Miami.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? How did I do with Carlos's POV? I had planned for it to be shorter, but he just kept telling me what he thought, and since the Man of Mystery normally doesn't say much, I couldn't find it in me to silence him. What do you think? Please let me know. The day after Thanksgiving is up next. Let me know if there is something you would like to see.**

**Amy**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**You all are incredible. I cannot believe the support everyone has offered. I have tried to thank everyone personally for your review. If I missed you, I am so sorry, and please know how much I truly appreciate it. If you notice in this chapter that my writing has all of a sudden gotten much "cleaner" and has fewer errors, it is because it has. Thanks entirely to FanFictionAficionado. You are amazing, Babe! Thank you so much. A special thanks to Danababy1076 for your insight and "ear" to hear out my ideas. I really appreciate it.**

_Previously:_

_I nodded slightly and said, "I can see how special she is already. I won't hurt her. You have my word."_

_With that he nodded, told me I could have his room, and headed into Bobby's room to go to sleep. As I lay in the bed, I found myself, once again, wishing I had stayed in Miami. _

**Ch. 12**

**Carlos's POV**

Lester and I were up at 6:30 to do our normal morning workout. Lester worked out because he was preparing for the Army, and I did because I try to keep myself in the best physical shape possible. We headed down to campus to use the gym for weight lifting, and decided to jog through campus to warmup. I couldn't believe my eyes when Stephanie sprinted past us. She was completely unaware of her surroundings, lost in what looked like a haze of anger.

I was just going to try and catch up to her, when Lester grabbed my arm and stopped me. "Trust me man, she gets lost when she's running. I learned my lesson the hard way not to run up behind her; I startled her and got a knee to the crotch. I strongly advise you to let her go. If she still seems upset when we pick her up at 9, we can ask her about it."

I gave him a nod and we continued our jog and headed to the gym. We finished our workout a little over an hour later, and did a cooldown jog through the campus again before heading back to the Jeep. I couldn't believe it when I saw Stephanie still running. She wasn't running as fast as she had been earlier, but it certainly wasn't a slow jog. I looked at Les, looking for the okay to approach her now; he just shook his head no and continued on toward the Jeep.

On our way back to Lester's apartment, I found myself wondering what had inspired her run. I was also impressed with the fact that she had been running for more than an hour and a half. Les and I cleaned up quickly and headed to her dorm to pick her up, pulling up outside about 10 minutes early. I briefly wondered if she was still running.

**Stephanie's POV**

I woke at 6 a.m. to the sound of my phone ringing. I would never get used to being pulled from sleep by a screaming phone. After a quick glance at my alarm clock, I was filled with panic. Who would call that early?

I lunged for the phone and regretted answering it the second I heard, "Stephanie Michelle Plum!"

"Mom, is everything okay?" I asked, concerned that she was calling me this early.

"We didn't hear a word from you yesterday, not one word, and on a holiday. I thought you were dead."

"Mom, I talked to you on Wednesday night and told you I would be spending the day with Lester and his family. I didn't get back to my room until ten last night, and I didn't want to call and wake you and Daddy."

"I didn't sleep. I was up all night worrying."

I gritted my teeth and offered an "I'm sorry". I attempted to change the subject. "How was your Thanksgiving? How are Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa doing?"

"Thanksgiving was fine. Mother and Daddy were late for dinner, so the turkey was dry, and your father fell asleep watching football before I even finished the dishes, but it was fine. I had a nice long talk with Valerie. She thinks she might be pregnant. So other than worrying that you were in a gutter somewhere, the day was pretty normal."

I couldn't contain the sigh that escaped my lips. I tried for the positive once again. "Valerie thinks she's pregnant? That's exciting."

"Of course it is, except for the fact that I'm an entire country away from her. I mean, I know she'll be an excellent mother, just like she is an excellent wife. I just hate that she is so far away. I think she and Steve are going to come home to visit at Christmas, though."

"That's good, mom."

"So what are you doing today? Shopping?" my mom asked me.

"No, I'm going to Lester's Abuela's house again to hang out with his family and decorate for Christmas. Then we're going to play a game or two of softball."

"You and that stupid game. I don't know why you waste your time. It isn't going to get you anywhere, young lady. Men don't like girls who spend their time getting sweaty, and playing a game that was always meant for men to play. I had hoped by now that you would have grown out of it."

I couldn't breathe. What I had feared _could_ be true, I was now certain _was _true. She had sabotaged me. And for what, so I could find a husband? I wanted to yell and scream and tell her to go to hell and never talk to her again. But I realized I wanted to do it in person, instead of screaming at her over the phone. Now I just had to figure out a way to get to Trenton for Christmas break.

"Well Mom, I really should get going. Lester is picking me up soon and I have to get ready and get some things done before he gets here. Bye." And I hung up. I was afraid if I stayed on the line for even one more second I wasn't going to be able to maintain my composure, so I ended the call. I still felt like I was going to explode, though, so I quickly dressed in yoga pants, a T-shirt and my running shoes. Grabbing a light sweatshirt, I headed out the door and took off running.

I had no idea how long I had been running when I felt a tingle. The only other time I felt a tingle like that was when Carlos had come out on the porch to talk to me yesterday. I tried to look around, but I couldn't really focus on anything or anyone. The anger I felt towards my mother was overwhelming, and I felt like if I could just run a little bit faster, some of the anger would ease up. I turned my focus back to running, and what felt like minutes later, my legs started to shake a little. I figured I had pushed hard enough for one morning and decided to go back to my room and take my time getting ready.

When I got back into my room and noticed that it was 8:15, I just about had a heart attack. I only had 45 minutes to get ready before Lester and Carlos were going to be picking me up to head back to their Abuela's house. I showered faster than I thought possible, considering how sweaty and disgusting I started out. Thankfully, my hair was cooperating today, so with just a little bit of gel fingered through it, it was presentable. I dressed in a pair of dark denim jeans, paired with a red wrap shirt and a pair of black ballet flats. Wearing heels to decorate for Christmas just didn't seem like a good idea. I was just putting on the finishing touches of my makeup, namely an extra coat of mascara, when I noticed the clock said 8:55. I threw a pair of shorts, a T-shirt, my cleats and glove into a canvas tote bag, grabbed my purse, and headed out the door to wait out front for Lester.

When I walked outside, I instantly felt that tingle again, even before I spotted Les's Jeep waiting in the loading zone. I headed over quickly and climbed into the open front seat.

"Morning, guys," I said with as cheerful a tone as I could muster.

"Morning, Beautiful," Les said back equally cheerful.

"Morning, Babe," Carlos offered with a sexy smile.

I felt my heart speed up at his smile and decided looking out the windshield would be a good idea. We drove to Abuela Rosa's house in silence, not an awkward silence, but a comfortable one. I found myself starting to think about what my mother had said—and no doubt done—to ruin my chances of playing softball in college. Just as I felt my anger from earlier trying to resurface, we stopped, and I realized we had arrived. In an attempt to cover the fact that I had been lost in thought, I quickly exited the Jeep.

Carlos's mama, Maria, was waiting by the front door for us as we walked up the sidewalk. She gave me a beautiful smile and a quick hug before leading the guys and me into the house for breakfast.

The moment we stepped in the door, my nose was assaulted with the most fantastic aromas I had ever smelled. I couldn't help it; I moaned. My stomach also took the opportunity to make itself known with a huge growl.

Lester laughed, and threw an arm over my shoulder saying, "We better feed that beast, Beautiful." I noticed a shocked look on Maria and Carlos's faces before smiling at Lester and saying, "Yeah, I'm starving!"

We joined the rest of his family who were sitting at the breakfast table waiting for us. We quickly took the same seats we sat in yesterday and filled our plates. Ricardo offered a prayer for our food and then everyone dug in. I'm sure I moaned through breakfast, but how could I not?

There were eggs, with some sort of red chili in them that was delicious. And crepes, and bacon, and pancakes, and something called chorizo, which was fantastic. Seriously, it was probably the best breakfast I had ever eaten. It even beat a dozen Boston Creams from the Tasty Pastry. All through breakfast, Carlos had his hand on my thigh and he would occasionally move it slightly higher and squeeze. The moans that escaped then weren't because of the food, but were thankfully disguised as me just enjoying my breakfast.

Once everyone was finished eating breakfast, Carlos's sisters and I helped to clean the table and did the dishes, while Lester, Carlos, Antonio, and Ricardo brought all of the Christmas decorations in from a storage shed at the back of Abuela Rosa's property. Carlos seemed to pass through the dining room every time I was in there, either gathering dishes, or returning them to the china hutch that sat in the corner. And each time, he would brush his hand across my back, or squeeze my hand, or run his hand down my arm. There wasn't one time he passed through that he didn't touch me. He had my hormones standing up and begging to be kissed like I had been yesterday.

All the decorations were stacked in the living room, so we gathered there to break into groups to work on certain sections of the house, inside and out.

Lester and Antonio elected to put up the lights on the outside of the house. Celia and Veronica said they would set up the tree in the living room. Maria and Ricardo were going to help the girls, as well as hang the stockings over the fireplace and arrange the nativity on the top of the hutch in the dining room. Angie and Gabby were going to help Abuela switch out her china to Christmas dishes and work on lunch, and Carlos and I were in charge of decorating the foyer and the front lawn. I couldn't believe all of the decorations that Abuela Rosa had. It put every house in the Burg to shame.

As Carlos and I gathered the decorations marked "foyer", I couldn't help but notice the looks Abuela Rosa was giving us. I'm sure she was as surprised as I was that Lester was working with Antonio instead of with me, but I didn't mind, and she didn't say anything.

Carlos and I stood in the foyer going through the boxes of trinkets and deciding where things should be placed. He looked around, and then grabbed my hand to move me closer. One of his hands went into my hair and the other rested on the small of my back as he pulled me into another bone melting, toe-curling kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and forced my body closer to his as the kiss deepened. I felt him moan into my mouth, and a rush of wetness flooded my panties. Our tongues invaded each other's mouths, fighting for dominance, and our bodies were so close that nothing would have fit between us. I never wanted it to end, but unfortunately it did.

We pulled apart slightly, both of us breathless, and Carlos rested his forehead on mine. I found myself unable to open my eyes, and was enjoying the feeling of being in his arms. When Carlos's breathing slowed back to a decent pace he whispered, "I have wanted to do that since I walked away from you last night."

I whispered back, "That's funny, because I've _wanted_ you to do that since you walked away from me last night."

We separated from each other, reluctantly, and spent a little bit of time arranging Abuela Rosa's trinkets on the entry table. Carlos hung a few decorations from clear hooks on the wall that I hadn't even noticed.

Once everything was situated in the foyer, we headed outside to set up the lawn decorations. We spent probably an hour, arranging and rearranging the decorations, trying to find the best look. We finished at the same time that Antonio and Lester finished hanging the lights along the eaves of the house.

We all walked back inside together, and as we were crossing from the foyer into the hallway that led to the living room and dining room, Lester stopped me. I gave him a puzzled look and he smiled at me before saying, "Mistletoe, Beautiful". Then he leaned down and gave me a peck on the lips.

I laughed when I heard what I thought was a growl coming from Carlos, but chose to ignore it, and headed the rest of the way into the house with Lester. I wasn't sure how the mistletoe got there, but I was hoping to get caught under it with Carlos later. We found the rest of the family relaxing in the living room.

It was still going to be a couple of hours before lunch, and since we'd had a late breakfast, Lester gathered his cousins together. We all went and changed our clothes, and then headed to the park for a friendly game of softball. I wasn't sure how we were going to play with only the eight of us, but assumed we would just take turns batting.

When we got to the local park, I was shocked to find another eight or nine people waiting for us. Lester had called a few friends from the neighborhood.

Veronica convinced me to pitch and we started our game. I was impressed with how well I did, striking the first three batters out. We took turns batting when our team was up to bat, with only Angie and Gabby getting out. We were halfway through the lineup again, when Antonio struck out.

It was our turn in the field again, and when I struck out the next three batters, one of the guys yelled to Lester, "You didn't tell us you were bringing in a ringer."

We all laughed and just decided to have fun instead of playing to win. After hitting a few times off _their_ pitcher, I slowed down _my_ pitches so they were all able to get a few hits. I couldn't resist striking Carlos out when he said he wanted a turn against me. The look on his face when he swung and missed three times was priceless!

We messed around for an hour or so, and then Veronica and I moved over to the next field. I showed her a few tricks for how to hold the ball, and how to flip your wrist to get it to move the way you want. I was rewarded with a huge hug and profuse thanks for helping her. She said if she could master these tricks she might be able to play Varsity this year. She was so excited I couldn't help but smile with her.

We headed back to Abuela Rosa's house for lunch, with Carlos and me bringing up the rear. He reached out and grabbed my hand halfway there, and didn't let it go until we were standing under the mistletoe in the foyer of the house.

He whispered, "You are amazing, Babe," as he leaned down and kissed me again. This kiss was just as passionate as the earlier kiss had been, but was much more tender. It wasn't a frenzied kiss, but one that said, "I could do this forever". And I could have.

Once we separated from our kiss, we headed in different directions to clean up for lunch. When we sat down at the table to eat, I noticed Abuela Rosa giving us both a curious look. I smiled at her, and she returned my smile before focusing on her lunch. The food was just as good as the previous meal I'd been served here, and I found myself lost in its pleasures instantly.

The only thing keeping my moaning in check was Carlos's hand on my thigh once again. I tried to control it, but who am I kidding, the food was too good not to moan over.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing games again, and had a light supper before gathering in the living room to watch a movie. It had gotten a little chilly, so Ricardo started a fire before we started the movie. Angie, Gabby, Veronica, Antonio and Celia were all lying on the floor on blankets and pillows for the movie. Carlos, Lester and I were on one sofa, with me in the middle, Maria and Ricardo were on the loveseat cuddled up like lovebirds, and Abuela Rosa sat in a recliner.

I couldn't tell you what movie we watched, as I was too focused on all the ways Carlos was touching me. We had an afghan spread out over us, and he had one arm around my shoulder, with his hand rubbing small circles on my upper arm, occasionally traveling up to my shoulder and running through my hair. His other hand, the one under the blanket, was nestled on my thigh and was rubbing circles as well. And though I'm not sure which hand was causing the heat to burn in my lower belly and spread south, I _was_ sure that I didn't want him to stop.

I had my hand on his thigh as well, mimicking his movements and when I brushed across the bulge in his pants at the same time as his hand brushed across my mound, both of us stilled and I'm pretty sure I quit breathing.

At that point Lester looked over at me and whispered, "You okay?"

I couldn't stop the blush that spread across my face as I nodded at him. He gave Carlos a hard stare before turning his attention back to the movie. I gave a quick glance around the room, and thankfully all eyes were on the movie. We sat there, continuing our exploration of each other under the blanket, before I finally had to excuse myself to go to the bathroom.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, Carlos was standing on the opposite wall. He moved toward me, pushing me back into the small room, closing the door behind us.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, moments before his lips crushed down on mine. We kissed each other with a frenzied passion, and I thought I was going to spontaneously combust right there in Abuela Rosa's bathroom. I hadn't felt this much lust for someone in my life, and I wasn't quite sure how to handle it. He shifted us so that his body was pressed up against mine, and I was pressed against the door. He lifted one of my legs up around his hip, and without even realizing I was doing it, I lifted my other leg. He shifted so that his hands were both supporting my butt and the bulge in his pants I had felt before was now pressed firmly against my hot center.

I moaned into his mouth as he pressed his lower half tighter against mine. I'm not sure how long we were in the bathroom. All I knew for sure was that I had never felt this way about someone before, and that I didn't want the moment to end. We stayed that way for what seemed like an eternity; I let out another moan and my body began to shake when the pressure from his zipper across my center caused me to orgasm. I couldn't believe it had happened; I broke the kiss, and buried my head in his shoulder.

His breathing was ragged and he asked, "Are you okay?"

I looked up at him and gave him a small smile and a nod. He gave me another soft kiss and sat me back on the ground. He leaned his forehead against mine again and just held me in his arms while both of us worked to get our breathing back to normal. When we had both finally calmed down, he said, "We should get back out there before someone notices we're gone."

I nodded at him and let him lead me from the bathroom back to the living room, only dropping his hand as we stepped back in to where his family was gathered. We spent the rest of the movie with me cuddled into his side. We managed to keep our hands to ourselves, which was probably a good thing at this point. When the movie finished, Carlos's brother and sisters were ready for bed, and we decided we should head out too.

It was then that it hit me that Carlos was leaving the next day. Lester hugged and kissed his family, and told them he would miss them. He promised Abuela Rosa he would be back after finals as we headed out the door. Carlos had car keys in his hand, and I gave him a puzzling look. He answered my unasked question, saying "I'm driving Abuela Rosa's car to Lester's tonight so that he doesn't have to drive me back here tomorrow. We're going to need to get an early start to make it back in time for my Monday afternoon class."

I nodded, unable to speak around the lump forming in my throat. I was shocked by my reaction to the fact that he was leaving. I knew he didn't live here, but that didn't stop my heart from breaking right now knowing that he was leaving.

I said my goodbyes to his family, gave Celia my phone number, and told her to keep in touch, and promised his Abuela Rosa I would come back and visit sometime soon. Once everyone stepped back inside, Carlos pulled me aside and asked if he could drive me back to my dorm. I looked at Les who simply nodded and I said, "I'd really like that."

Thirty minutes later I was letting us both into my room. Carlos started kissing me before I had even closed the door. The next thing I knew, his body was pressed against mine and we were both lying on my bed. We made out for what seemed like an eternity, gradually taking things further and further. I was lying there in just my bra and jeans, with my jeans unsnapped and Carlos's hand down them. Carlos was bare-chested and I had my hand down his pants as well.

Thankfully, Carlos had more self-control than I did and he managed to pull back and still my hands on him. In a husky voice he said, "Babe, if we don't stop right now, I'm not sure I'll be able to."

My hormones were screaming "Don't stop!" but my heart was screaming "It's too soon, you just met him." My mouth was unable to say anything.

Carlos searched my eyes—for what, I'm not entirely sure—and then removed his hand from my pants. With a soft kiss to my lips he asked, "Can I call you sometime, Babe? Maybe see you if you can come to Jersey for Christmas?"

I cleared my throat to remove the lump and whispered, "I'd really like that."

We kissed for a few minutes longer, and then just lay in each other's arms talking. Carlos told me about his business classes at Rutgers and how much he enjoyed them, but that he didn't love the school and was unsure whether he would stay there. I silently hoped that perhaps he would consider a transfer to Miami.

I told him that I was undecided about my major, and described the class load I was taking. He seemed impressed with the selection. I mentioned my interest in interior design, and that I will start courses for it in the spring.

We briefly touched on my friendship with Lester, and he told me he was glad that Lester and I are close. He spent a few minutes praising his cousin and I could tell he thought as highly of Les as I did, maybe more.

He confided in me about some of the trouble he had gotten into that caused him to move to Miami a few years ago, and made me nervous when he mentioned some of his old crowd being near the Rutgers campus. I hoped they wouldn't cause him any problems.

We must have lain talking for nearly an hour before Carlos finally said, "I really should go, Babe. We've got an early start, and I promised Papa I would help with the driving."

I felt the lump returning to my throat, so I kissed his neck and nodded, unable to say anything.

Carlos stood and pulled his shirt back on and headed toward the door. I snapped my jeans closed, put my blouse back on, and followed him. He turned and dropped the most tender kiss yet on my lips, and then whispered, "Bye Babe. I'll call you when we get back to Jersey."

I looked in his eyes, smiled, and whispered, "Bye Carlos" as he walked out the door. I watched him walk down the hallway, and then gave him a little finger wave just before the elevator door closed.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Please let me know what you think!**

**Amy**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

**Before you read…Fan Fiction was having issues on Wednesday when I posted Ch. 12, so if you haven't read it, please do so before continuing. It will help make Ch. 13 make sense.**

_Previously:_

_Carlos stood and pulled his shirt back on and headed toward the door. I snapped my jeans closed, put my blouse back on, and followed him. He turned and dropped the most tender kiss yet on my lips, and then whispered, "Bye Babe. I'll call you when we get back to Jersey."_

_I looked in his eyes, smiled, and whispered, "Bye Carlos" as he walked out the door. I watched him walk down the hallway, and then gave him a little finger wave just before the elevator door closed. _

**Ch. 13**

**Abuela Rosa's POV**

When my Carlito, Lester, and the beautiful Estefania left my house Thanksgiving night, I had a funny feeling. I sensed that something had developed, but I wasn't sure what. I know Lester said he and Stephanie were just friends, but perhaps that had changed. Or, perhaps she had caught my Carlito's eye.

When they arrived the next morning for breakfast, I could tell things were different. Not different between Lester and her, but between Carlos and her. There was a vibration coming from them that I could feel across the table, as if it were an electrical current. I didn't want to think about the sexual tension in the room while I was eating breakfast, but it was hard to ignore.

When the girls and I were cleaning up from breakfast, and the boys were gathering the Christmas decorations, I noticed Carlos passing through the dining room. Each time he would touch Stephanie gently. It made me smile. My Benjamin, God rest his soul, used to do the same thing. He couldn't be in the same room with me and not be touching me in one way or another.

My suspicions about those two were confirmed when Lester volunteered Antonio to help put up the lights on the house. For as many years as I can remember, he and Carlos have done that job. So I wasn't at all surprised when Carlos and Stephanie chose to work together on the foyer and lawn decorations—which had been Antonio's spots for the past several years.

As I was walking into the hallway to go outside and check that Lester and Antonio had all they needed, I spotted my Carlito and his Stephanie embracing in the foyer. They were wrapped tightly in each other's arms, and sharing a kiss that made _my_ cheeks flush. I turned and quickly headed back into the kitchen to avoid revealing they had been spotted.

"Abuela, what are you smiling about," my darling Angelica asked me.

"Nothing, mija. I am just so happy to have a house full of my family." It wasn't a lie—I was very happy to have them all there—but that wasn't the reason for the smile on my face at that moment.

A short while later, I stepped back into the hallway and noticed that Stephanie and Carlos were outside. I grabbed the sprig of mistletoe I had on the counter, and quickly grabbed a step stool to hang it above the entryway to the hallway. Once it was hung, I quickly disappeared back into the kitchen.

With the decorations all complete, my house looked more beautiful than ever. I love Christmas time; it was my Benjamin's favorite holiday. I was standing admiring the tree, when I heard the children discussing going to the park to play a game of softball before lunch. After they left, I turned to see my Ricardo and Maria cuddling together and whispering on the couch. I wondered if they noticed the attraction between Carlos and Stephanie, but didn't want to mention it in case they hadn't.

I went to the kitchen to give the pots on the stove a stir, and returned to an empty living room. Taking advantage of the privacy, I spent a few moments locating my favorite ornaments on the tree: one my Benjamin gave me when we first arrived from Cuba, the ones he gave me when we found out I was pregnant with my Teresa and with Ricardo, and Teresa's and Ricardo's "Baby's First Christmas" ornaments. I still can't believe that we lost Teresa and Eduardo 12 years ago. Thinking of them makes these ornaments all the more special to me.

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, and retreated to the kitchen to gather myself. Time had slipped away, and with it, so had people that I loved dearly. I was able to keep the tears at bay and finish making lunch, knowing the children would return at any moment.

I was just dishing the food into serving dishes when the children returned from the park. As I was taking the dishes from the kitchen into the dining room, I spotted Carlos and Stephanie wrapped in another embrace, this time underneath the mistletoe. I paused for a moment to smile at the way my Carlito held her. It reminded me of the way my Benjamin would hold me close when we would share a kiss, and the way Ricardo holds Maria when he kisses her. I could already tell these two would have a love that would survive anything time threw at them, even though they had only just met.

While we were at the dinner table, I found myself smiling often at Stephanie. Her lips were slightly more pink than normal, and her eyes sparkled in a way I hadn't noticed before. My Carlito's eyes sparkled too, and even though he thought he was hiding his emotions, I could see the love growing behind that blank face. Stephanie caught me staring at her and offered me a smile; I returned it and then continued to eat, glancing at them while they ate. If possible, their chairs seemed even closer than they had been at breakfast.

The children played games for the remainder of the afternoon, while I relaxed and watched them before preparing a light dinner. Once dinner was finished, we all gathered in the living room to watch _It's A Wonderful Life_, one of my favorite Christmas movies, and the same one that we always watch when we're together for the holidays.

I couldn't help notice how close Stephanie and Carlos sat during the movie. He had his arm over her shoulder, mindlessly moving his hand up her neck and into her hair. My Benjamin would show me similar attention when we would cuddle on the couch together. Dios! I miss him.

During the movie Stephanie left the room, and moments later, Carlos followed her. I assumed they needed to go somewhere private to share a more intimate embrace. Yes, I could definitely see a romance blooming, and hoped that one day they would give me beautiful great grandchildren.

As the night came to an end, Carlos asked me quietly if he could use my car so he could spend the night at Lester's again. He claimed my sofa wasn't comfortable to sleep on, but he wasn't fooling me—he wanted more time with his Stephanie, and I would offer anything I had for them to have that time together.

The next morning, Carlos came back to the house with a determined look on his face. I assumed he made a decision regarding Stephanie, and if I was right, as I often am, it was a decision that would bring him back to Miami in the very near future.

XXXXXXXX

**Lester's POV**

I couldn't believe it when Carlos came in nearly two hours after I got back from Abuela Rosa's house. After sitting here fuming for the past hour, I didn't want to hear any excuses for what could have possibly taken him so long, I just wanted to beat the shit out of him and go to bed. He promised me he wouldn't hurt her. And there was no convincing me that two hours alone in her dorm room the night before going back to Jersey wasn't going to hurt her.

When he walked in the door, I pounced and quickly had him in a headlock. My cousin was no slouch when it came to fighting, so he quickly flipped me. My grip on him didn't loosen, so he fell to the floor with me. We rolled around for a good five minutes, trying to land punches where the bruises wouldn't be visible, before he got the upper hand and pinned me flat on my back, straddling my chest.

"Not that I don't like a test of my skills, but you want to tell me what the hell's the matter?" Carlos asked.

"I warned you," I grunted, and managed to flip us over so that I had the upper hand. "I told you not to hurt Steph. You said you wouldn't. You lied."

"I didn't lie. I didn't hurt her."

"Oh come on, cuz. You made out with her so much at Abuela's house that her lips were swollen, and then you spent two hours with her in her dorm room. I don't believe you."

Carlos flipped me again and we rolled around the floor throwing more punches. Finally, after banging into the coffee table, he got the upper hand again and held me down.

"Nothing happened. We kissed, maybe a little more, but that was it. We talked." Carlos defended.

"You talked. Yeah, right! Are you forgetting that I know you, Carlos? You don't talk. You and Aryanna didn't just "talk" with each other."

"Hey. I'm not proclaiming virginity here, I'm just saying that all Steph and I did was talk. And we're going to keep talking, and see each other if she makes it to Jersey for Christmas."

Carlos got off me and leaned into the couch. We both took a minute to compose ourselves before I looked at him. "You better not disrespect her man. She means a lot to me."

"You don't have to convince me how special she is, Les. I already know."

"You gonna do anything about how you feel about her?"

"What do you mean?" Carlos asked.

"There are a lot of guys here that are just chomping at the bit to make a move on her, namely _all_ of my frat brothers. Should I let people know she's taken? Does _she_ think she's taken?"

"I don't know. Too early to tell. We're going to talk for now, and I'm still considering a move back down here."

"You would move back to Miami for a girl?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My cousin, who had sworn off women (for anything beyond a quick fix for an ache!) after his disastrous relationship with Aryanna, was planning on leaving his family _again_ to come back to Miami?

"It wouldn't be because of her. I told you about Manuel sniffing around me, and even though I know I could take him, I don't want to deal with him. I just want to finish school in peace and move on with my life. And if that life includes Stephanie, then great. If it doesn't, then that's fine too."

I could tell he was lying, or at least glossing over the truth. The thing about being so close to your cousin was that you couldn't bullshit each other. He was afraid that Steph would break his heart, just like Aryanna had. And while I knew she wouldn't, _he_ didn't.

I gave him a long look, and said, "Alright man. You just let me know if you need anything."

Carlos simply nodded at me. I guess he had used up all his words for the night. We helped each other up and headed for bed.

**Stephanie's POV**

I was sitting in my room Monday night in a slight panic when my phone rang. Without even wondering who could be calling, I answered with a harsh, "Hello?"

"Babe?"

"Hey," I said, my voice softening and a smile spreading across my face.

"Sorry I didn't call earlier, but we pulled into Newark with about five minutes to spare before my afternoon class, and I had to run to make it on time."

"That's ok. I understand. How was the drive?"

Carlos let out a sigh loud enough for me to hear through the phone and said, "Long. What about you, Babe? How was your weekend?"

"It was good. My roommate got back Sunday afternoon, but was only here long enough to unpack her bag and gather her stuff before rushing off to her boyfriend's apartment. I also talked to my Grandma, and she and my Grandpa are going to split the cost of an airplane ticket with me so I can go home for Christmas. I'll be there on the twentieth, and in Jersey until the middle of January."

"That's great news, Babe. I hope you'll have some time to spend with me."

"I'll make time, Carlos. Besides, after I give my Mom a piece of my mind about the softball scholarship stuff, I'm not sure how welcome I'll be at home anyways. Not to mention Saint Valerie and her Prince Charming will be there. There is only so much perfect I can take."

I heard Carlos laughing through the phone. "Babe, if that's the case, you're welcome to stay with me the entire time you're here."

"Don't you live at home?" I asked him.

"Well, yeah, but my parents really like you. I guarantee you are more than welcome in our home."

"Thanks, Carlos. If it gets really bad, I might take you up on it." I could also stay at my Grandma and Grandpa's house, but since they live down the street from my parents, I might need an escape to Newark.

"I hate to cut this conversation short, Babe, but I've got a ton of homework to do and a lot of studying for my finals next week."

"That's alright. I really need to study too. Maybe we could talk again this weekend?" I asked.

"I'll try to call you before then, but I do have a crazy week, so if not, then for sure this weekend."

"Perfect. It was good talking to you Carlos, and I can't wait to see you again."

"Me too, Babe. Bye."

"Bye."

XXXXXXX

**Carlos's POV**

It had been a long, trying week and all I wanted to do was talk to my Babe. The week hadn't seemed nearly as long as the two and a half days driving home from Miami with my family, but long nevertheless. We had talked on Tuesday night, as my evening class had been canceled, and I wanted to take advantage of the free time. She told me all about her roommate Annabelle and her crazy mother, the Halloween party, her costume, and how she had always wanted to be Wonder Woman. I told her I definitely needed to see a picture of her in that costume.

Then I spent more time telling her about my past and the trouble I had gotten into. My ex-girlfriend, who had also been my first, introduced me to her brother Manuel. He was a manipulator, and when he wanted me to do something, he used my relationship with his sister to change my mind if I refused to do it. After a stolen car and a month in juvie, my parents sent me to live with my Abuela Rosa in Miami to get away from him. I told my Babe how I had seen him around campus, and she begged me to be careful; I promised her I would.

We had another very short conversation Thursday night before she had to jump off the phone because her roommate had come home in hysterics. She told me she would call me Saturday afternoon, but by 4 p.m. I hadn't heard from her.

Friday I ran into my old crowd. I use the term "crowd" loosely, because when we hung out before, we were just a group of friends. However, during my time in Miami, they escalated from "group of friends" to "gang", with Manuel as their leader. He had been lurking around me all semester, and finally confronted me, trying to convince me to join. That confrontation, where I firmly told him "No way in hell", only served to solidify the decision I had made the previous Friday night: to move back to Miami next semester.

I talked to my parents about it, and they were reluctant at first because they thought I was just doing it for Stephanie. The entire trip home from Miami, Mama and Papa had grilled me about her—which, of course, led Celia to do the same. My younger siblings knew better than to question me and my motives, but unfortunately that didn't stop Celia.

They had asked me my intentions with her, and it felt like the conversation with Lester all over again. Everyone in my family knew about Aryanna. She had been my first, and I thought we were in love. But she didn't feel the same way, which I didn't realize until much later, after she and her brother had used me as their grunt and got me into trouble. Thankfully, Mama and Papa pulled that plug by sending me to Miami when I got out of juvie, but not before Aryanna broke my heart. She told me she had never felt that way about me, that I was simply a means to an end, and that while I "wasn't too shabby" in the bedroom, her heart belonged elsewhere. I couldn't believe I had been such a sucker.

After Aryanna, I'll admit I didn't treat girls, women, with the respect they deserved. But Stephanie was different. If I hadn't respected her, I wouldn't have pulled back that night in her room, I would have taken what I wanted and then headed back to Jersey. I cared about her already, more than I thought possible, and I'll admit it scared me a little.

When I told Mama and Papa about my run-in with Manuel, they instantly agreed with my decision to transfer to the University of Miami. I called Lester to see if I could sleep on his couch. He told me he would talk to Bobby, that their lease was month-to-month and either he could move out and get a different two bedroom with me, or we could all move into a three bedroom unit that was available in their complex. I told him I was fine either way, just to let me know. Now I was just waiting for my Babe to call so I could tell her my news.

At 4:30, my phone finally rang.

"Yo," I answered with my standard greeting.

"Carlos?"

"Hey, Babe. How's it going?"

"I'm stressed, Carlos," She said with a sigh. "You?"

"Why are you stressed, Babe?"

"Well, tests make me nervous, so I'm stressing over finals a little bit. Plus…"

I gave her a minute to see if she was going to continue, but when she didn't I asked, "What is it, Babe?"

"Annabelle's Mom is here."

"What's she doing there?"

"She's freaking out, that's what."

Man. My Babe was being vague. This conversation was like pulling teeth. "What is she freaking out about?"

"Annabelle is pregnant," Steph whispered. "I guess the condom broke or something, and now she's pregnant, and not doing very well in her classes and her Mom is here trying to drag her back to Atlanta. Armando is begging her to stay and even mentioned marriage, which caused Beatrice to faint, which was actually pretty funny, but the whole situation is a big mess and it is making it difficult to study." She was rambling and I found it cute.

"Why don't you call Lester, Babe? I'm sure you could hang out at his and Bobby's place to study."

"Yeah, I talked to him about it this morning when we were playing softball. He told me I was welcome over anytime, but I feel bad leaving Annabelle here alone with her mother. I know all about controlling parents, and I want her to have my support, even if it is silent support because her mother scares the crap out of me."

"I'm sure it will work out, Babe." I offered lamely.

"For Annabelle's sake, I hope you're right, Carlos. So, distract me. Tell me what's new with you."

I didn't want to add to her stress, but I had to tell her about Manuel. "Well…Manuel confronted me Friday morning."

"Confronted you? What do you mean he confronted you? You're ok, aren't you?" She had a hint of panic in her voice.

"Yeah, Babe. I'm fine," I rushed to reassure her. "He wants me to join his gang. But I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wasn't going to."

"And how did he take that? I'm scared for you, Carlos; gangs are so unpredictable and dangerous."

"Well, he didn't take it well because I didn't give in to his demand, but I'm not too worried. The confrontation did help to make my mind up about something, though."

"What's that?" she asked.

"I'm moving back to Miami."

There was a long pause, and for a second I thought maybe that wasn't good news to her. Then, in almost a whisper she asked, "Really?"

"Yeah, Babe. Really. I'm planning to call the University tomorrow and see what I need to do to transfer, effective next semester."

"Carlos…"

When she didn't finish, I thought maybe my feeling that she was happy about this was premature. But after a long pause, she said, "Carlos, I'm so glad you're going to be closer to me. Promise me one thing, though?"

"What's that, Babe?" I asked, curious what she wanted me to promise her.

"Promise me that this move isn't really because of me. As much as I want you in Miami, I would hate to take you away from your family when they just got you back."

"I won't lie to you, the fact that you are in Miami makes the decision that much easier, but I told Lester that I wanted to be back in Miami before I even met you."

"Good to know. So, do you need help packing over Christmas break?"

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Please let me know what you think!**

**Amy**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

_Previously:_

"_I won't lie to you, the fact that you are in Miami makes the decision that much easier, but I told Lester that I wanted to be back in Miami before I even met you."_

"_Good to know. So, do you need help packing over Christmas break?"_

**Ch. 14**

It had been the longest three weeks of my life. Finals had kicked my butt, and between studying and dealing with a completely freaked out Annabelle, I was actually glad to be getting on an airplane to head for Jersey. Ok, the real reason I was glad to be getting on the airplane was because Carlos was picking me up at the airport. I couldn't wait to see him, feel his arms around me, and his lips on mine. It seemed like an eternity since I'd seen him!

As I sat on the plane headed for Jersey, I thought of all the things Carlos and I had discussed in the past three weeks. We had talked on the phone as often as possible, which, between my finals schedule and his, wasn't as much as I would have liked. When we _were_ able to connect, the conversations, whether short or long, turned into great relationship building talks.

He told me he wasn't sure if he was "relationship material", but promised that he wanted to give it his best try. Considering my last relationship was the five minutes I spent on the Tasty Pastry floor with Joe Morelli, I told him I wasn't sure I was relationship material either. We decided to start the relationship as just good friends, and agreed that for that to happen we needed to get to know each other better.

Airing all my dirty laundry was first on my list. I told him about Joe Morelli introducing me to "Choo Choo" in his father's garage when I was five years old, to which he promptly responded that he would really love about five minutes alone in a dark alley with Morelli. To reassure him that retribution had already occurred, I told him about running Joe over with my Escort on my way out of town when I was moving to Miami. He spent the next five minutes laughing. I _loved_ to hear him laugh. It was a deep, sexy laugh that made my body get warm and my lips tingle just listening to it. He already knew about the Tasty Pastry incident, so I didn't feel the need to bring it up again.

I told him about always wanting to be Wonder Woman, and how at the age of seven, I jumped off the roof my garage trying to fly. Those were the best three seconds of my life, until I hit the ground and broke my arm. Damn gravity! I promised him that one day I would fly, and he said he believed me. Carlos was the _first_ person to ever tell me they believed I would fly one day, and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face after that.

He asked who my best friend was growing up, so I told him all about Mary Lou—the many adventures I had with her, and the trouble we often got into together. He really wanted to meet her, so I promised I would introduce them at Christmas time.

Carlos talked about getting picked on when he was younger for being scrawny. The other boys would tease him and tell him he looked like a girl because he wore his hair longer. I admitted that before meeting him I really didn't like longer hair on guys, but his was so incredibly sexy that my opinion had changed.

We talked about the after-school program at the inner city school where Les and I work, and the wonderful children there. I thought he would be great with them, and maybe he could offer some advice to the kids who get picked on—show them that things can get better. Carlos said he would need a job with more hours than the school was likely to offer, but he'd consider volunteering a day or two a week. I told him I would talk to my boss, Nancy, to see if that would work.

He told me what it was like growing up with five siblings, and explained that he felt responsible for them since he was the oldest boy. He tried to be a good example, and he hated that he let Manuel and Aryanna manipulate him into trouble. He was worried that Antonio would get mixed in with the wrong crowd, and I tried to reassure him that turning his life around the way he did was an excellent example to Antonio.

Carlos' family had struggled financially, and he hoped to one day be successful enough to be able to take care of them. He didn't think his father had a lot of retirement savings, and he didn't want them to have to worry as they got older. I thought that was incredibly honorable, and I let him know that. My respect for this man just kept growing. 

We talked about school: he enjoyed his business classes and was really excelling academically. One day he wants to own a business of his own, though he isn't sure what kind yet.

I told him that while I'm still somewhat undecided about my major, I _am_ very excited about the interior design class that I'm taking next semester. Bridget showed me some of the course work, and I loved the concepts they were learning. She asked me to help her on her final project, and the ideas I suggested were the ones most praised by her professor. She thanked me profusely for the help, but truth be told, it was more fun than work for me.

When I told Carlos about the first date that Bridget and Lester went on last week, I couldn't stop laughing as I described what had to have been the world's biggest dating disaster. Between the spilled drink and the food poisoning, it truly was a disaster of epic proportions. The best part, though, was the fact that Bridget and Lester still laughed when they talked about it. Their similar sense of humor is what drew me to both of them, and what makes me think that they have a real shot at a future together.

Carlos and I talked a little bit about my mother (insert major eye roll) and the confrontation that would no doubt happen at Christmas. While part of me is grateful to my mother for ruining my chances of playing college softball, because it allowed me to meet Lester and therefore Carlos, I am still furious with her. It should have been _my_ decision. Not to mention, they aren't helping me _at all_ financially, and a softball scholarship would have really helped. Carlos had encouraged me to go talk to the coach about trying out for the team, but when I tried, she had already left for the holiday break. The student working in the athletic office did say that Coach Thompson would be back the first week in January, and I could come in and talk to her then. I only hope when I return on the fifteenth that it isn't too late.

During our phone conversations, we also talked about Annabelle. Poor Annabelle. She had defied her mother and was now, apparently, disowned. While I wasn't sure that was the worst thing that could happen to her, she was panicked. Armando had officially proposed to her, and she would be moving out of the dorms at the end of the semester, leaving me without a roommate. I had considered staying in the dorms, but was nervous about what kind of roommate I might get next. When I mentioned my dilemma to Bridget, she offered me the vacant room in her apartment. Her roommate, Susan, had decided to move back to Kentucky at Christmas, because she was just too homesick. Bridget couldn't afford the two-bedroom apartment on her own, and her lease wasn't up until May. Fortunately, housing had no objections to me vacating my room; the only stipulation was I had to do it before leaving for Christmas break. Les and Bobby solved that problem by helping me move into Bridget's before I left to head back to Trenton.

With all of these thoughts running through my head, I couldn't believe it when the plane started descending into Newark and I hadn't even freaked out about crashing. Instead, I had spent the entire flight lost in thought about Carlos and all the changes this semester had brought. I was excited at the prospect of him being in Miami soon, and being able to see him whenever I wanted to (well, within reason of course). During our phone conversation this morning before my flight, he asked me if "good friends" greeted each other with a kiss; I laughed and said, "They better!" I was stunned when he asked if he could call me his "girlfriend" instead of just his "good friend"; I replied that I would love that. While I still wasn't sure how good I would be at an actual relationship, I hadn't ever wanted to try one as much as I did with Carlos.

As I de-boarded the plane, I was practically vibrating with the anticipation of seeing him. I felt a tingle on my neck as I was walking up the ramp from the plane into the building, and had just gotten past the gate area when I noticed him leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the corridor. I rushed over and threw my arms around his neck as his encircled my waist. When our lips met, I felt electricity shoot through my body. My mouth opened to his willingly, and our tongues battled in an attempt to explore each other's mouth. It wasn't until an elderly man standing nearby cleared his throat that I even remembered we were still in the airport. We reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, and Carlos put his forehead against mine.

"Babe," he breathed.

"Carlos," I replied, still somewhat breathless.

"God I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," I replied, burying my head in his chest after leaning up to kiss his neck.

With a growl, Carlos said, "Let's go get your bags, Babe."

After grabbing my luggage, we headed to the parking garage and climbed into his black Ford Bronco. It wasn't brand new, but it was obvious from its condition that Carlos took good care of his car.

Once we were both inside the vehicle, he reached over and pulled me over the console to sit in his lap. His hand reached up into my hair and pulled me back in for another kiss. I have no idea how long we stayed with our lips locked together and hands in each other's hair, but when we pulled away, every window on the Bronco was fogged. We both laughed and then I climbed back into my seat so we could head to Trenton.

Carlos and I both thought it was best to jump right into the frying pan, so to speak, so I decided to introduce him to my family that night at dinner. Grandma Mazur had told me Valerie and Steve arrived the night before, so this would be as good a time as any to introduce him to the whole family. Plus, I didn't think I could be in the house for even a day with my mother and not have the softball conversation with her.

We spent the hour drive to my parents' house holding hands and talking about Lester and Miami. Les had seemed disappointed that Alejandro hadn't come for Thanksgiving, but I told Carlos that I was nervous about raising the subject. While I knew that Les and Alejandro's relationship wasn't the greatest, I was surprised that he hadn't at least come home for the holiday. Carlos said Alejandro was working in Denver on some big construction project that they had to finish before the end of the year, and that was why he hadn't come. Les and Abuela Rosa were going to fly up to Newark on Christmas Eve, and would be staying through New Year's. Hopefully Alejandro would be able to make it in during that time.

We talked a little bit about traveling back to Miami. I decided to cancel my return flight so I could drive back down with Carlos. I'm sure my parents wouldn't be too happy about that, but I didn't really care. I suggested maybe leaving sooner so that I could talk to Coach Thompson; we agreed to play it by ear. As we wound through the Burg to my parent's house, I felt my body tense up and my stomach churn. It was close to 5:30 p.m., so I knew dinner would be ready soon—and even though I was starving, I didn't think I would be able to eat.

When we pulled up to the house, Carlos looked at me and gave me that gorgeous smile. I felt myself relax as he squeezed my hand and said, "It'll be alright, Babe. I'm not going anywhere." With a nod, I got out of the car and waited for him to come around to my side. He had just reached for my hand when my Mom and Grandma came out the front door to greet us.

"There's my baby granddaughter!" Grandma practically shouted as she came down the steps and wrapped me in a hug. We weren't really a hugging family, so I was a little surprised by the greeting. As she pulled me into the hug she whispered, "Something's up with your sister and Steve. I can't put my finger on it yet, but something fishy is going on."

I whispered back in her ear that I would let her know if Val said anything, and with an extra squeeze she let me go. When she pulled back, she noticed Carlos standing next to me. She gave him her best leer, and said, "Well. Who do we have here?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the way Grandma waggled her eyebrows at him, or at the way his grip on my hand got a little bit tighter.

"Grandma, this is Carlos. Carlos, this is my Grandma, Edna Mazur."

"Pleasure to meet you," Carlos said, extending his right hand to shake Grandma's.

"The pleasure is all mine," Grandma said, waggling her eyebrows again.

The entire time we had been conversing with Grandma, my mother stayed on the porch and stared at me. If looks could kill, I think I would probably be about six feet under by now. As we all headed for the stairs, she finally spoke, but when she did I could hear the ice in her tone.

"Stephanie, you didn't tell us you were bringing anyone for dinner."

No good to see you, no how were your finals, nothing. Why am I not surprised?

My mother gasped and Carlos gave my hand a squeeze. I guess I said that out loud.

"Hi, Mom. This is Carlos. He's my friend Lester's cousin. I know I've told you about Lester. Carlos lives in Newark, and was nice enough to pick me up at the airport and bring me home."

I was hoping her Burg manners would kick in. I guess it was wishful thinking on my part.

"Your father could have picked you up at the airport and brought you home. You didn't have to bother this _boy._"

The venom dripping from her words shocked me a little. It sounded like the way Annabelle had talked about Lester when she first met him. I felt my hackles rising, but Carlos just released my hand and put his arm around my shoulder, drawing me closer to him and saying, "It was no bother at all, ma'am."

I looked at him and smiled before saying, "Mom, would it be alright if we went inside now? Jersey at Christmas time is a lot colder than Miami, and I'm afraid I don't have my good winter coat with me."

My mother finally seemed to realize we were still standing outside. "Yes, of course. What would the neighbors think if they saw us? Come in, come in! I need to finish up dinner."

We entered the house, and I grabbed Carlos' hand and pulled him into the living room to meet my Dad. He was seated in his normal spot in the recliner in front of the television, watching the news. When we entered the room, he turned off the TV and stood to greet me.

"Pumpkin," he said pulling me into a hug. I wrapped my arms around him tightly. As I pulled away I noticed that his gaze had gone to Carlos, and while it wasn't nearly as cold as my mother's, it was definitely a hard look.

I saw Carlos was still standing tall, which made me smile. Not many guys could withstand my father's glare.

"Daddy, this is Carlos. Carlos, this is my Daddy, Frank Plum."

Carlos extended his hand and gave my father a firm handshake, saying, "Nice to meet you sir."

"You too, son. How do you know my daughter?"

"I had the pleasure of meeting Stephanie when my cousin, Lester, brought her to our Abuela's house for Thanksgiving dinner, sir."

My father just nodded his head. I was about to break the silence when my mother yelled from the kitchen, "Stephanie, could you please come help me finish dinner?"

I knew what that was code for: my mother never needed help finishing dinner. It was grilling time, and I was on the menu!

Carlos gave me a warm smile and a slight nod. I gave my father my best "Be nice" look before I left the living room and headed to the kitchen.

When I got in the kitchen, three heads turned to look at me. Grandma Mazur, Valerie, and my Mom were all there working on the finishing touches for dinner. I took a deep breath and steadied myself for what I knew was about to come. But before my Mom could start in on me, I struck up a conversation with Grandma.

"Grandma, where's Grandpa?"

"Oh, we forgot to bring the rolls, so Harry ran to the market to pick some up. Plus, you know your Grandpa, he can't stand sitting still for too long, so it was good for him to be able to run an errand."

I nodded and looked at Valerie. She looked a little green around the gills. "Val, you ok? Where's Steve, he wasn't in the living room with Daddy?"

"I'm fine, just feeling a little nauseous. My morning sickness seems to really be all day sickness."

"Oh, that's right. Mom said you thought you were pregnant at Thanksgiving. Congratulations! How far along are you?"

"I'm about eight weeks now. Thank you! We're really excited."

"Where did you say Steve was?"

"He went to see an old high school buddy that he hasn't really talked to since our move, but should be back any moment. He knows we eat right at six."

I stole a glance at the clock and noticed it was 5:50, and before I could stall the conversation any further, Mom started in on me.

"Stephanie, why did you invite that _boy_ to eat dinner with us? And with no notice! What if there hadn't been enough food?"

Grandma chimed in, "Oh Helen, put a sock in it. You know you always make enough food to feed an army and still have leftovers. And that boy's name is Carlos. And he sure is a fine looking boy, Stephanie. Why, if I was 20 years younger…"

I smiled at Grandma. "Mom, Carlos and I have started dating, and I always assumed my boyfriend would be welcome at your dinner table. If it's a problem, we could leave and go join _his_ family for dinner."

My mother gasped before saying, "Boyfriend?"

"Yes Mother, he _is_ my boyfriend. We met at Thanksgiving and have been talking on the phone ever since. I really like him, and he's transferring to Miami next semester."

"You have a boy moving to Miami for you?" Valerie asked me with shock in her voice.

"No, he isn't moving to Miami for _me_. He's moving because he wants to. It's just lucky for me that we won't have to continue a long distance relationship."

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Stephanie. Talking on the phone with a boy doesn't make a relationship," my mother protested.

"It does when we both decide that we want to be in a relationship," I defended.

"That's right, baby girl," Grandma agreed with me.

Just then, Grandpa came into the kitchen carrying a bag of rolls. "Who's the good lookin' fella in the living room with Frank?"

I smiled at him and gave him a big hug. He squeezed me tight before giving me a good once-over. "Stephie, you are entirely too skinny. Aren't they feeding you in Miami?"

Only my Grandpa could get away with calling me Stephie. I hate that nickname. "I'm eating, Grandpa, I promise. And the 'good lookin' fella' in the living room is my boyfriend, Carlos."

"Is he black? I couldn't tell."

"No Grandpa, he's Cuban-American. His family lives in Newark and his Abuela lives in Miami. He's transferring from Rutgers to Miami this semester."

"Alright then, let's eat. I'm starved."

My grandpa was never one for talking much; Grandma talks enough for both of them. They're the most adorable couple on the planet, and I love them dearly. Besides my Dad, they were the main reason I hated being so far away from home. Grandpa has had some heart issues recently, and I'm worried that this Christmas might be his last.

Grandma took the rolls from my Grandpa, and gave him a big kiss on the mouth before smacking him on the butt and telling him to save her a seat at the table. That made me laugh—it always did. They always sat across the table from each other, and I had never understood why, until last summer when Grandma told me it was so she could play footsie with him. She said she was afraid if she sat next to him, she wouldn't be able to keep her hands to herself long enough to eat anything. After sitting next to Carlos at Thanksgiving, I totally understood what she meant.

I went into the dining room to set the table, while the rest of the women transferred everything to serving dishes. As I was placing the plates, Steve came in the front door. He looked slightly disheveled, with his hair out of place, swollen lips, and pants that I could swear looked unzipped. I just stood there gaping at him until he rushed up the stairs. Grandma was right: there was definitely something fishy going on.

Daddy, Carlos, and Grandpa Mazur entered the dining room just as the food was placed on the table and the living room clock chimed six. Daddy was laughing—something that rarely happened—and Grandpa Mazur had his hand on Carlos' shoulder. I guess he introduced himself. Carlos glanced at me, and gave me a full 200-watt smile.

We all piled around the table. Daddy sat at his normal seat at the head of the table. To his left were Grandma Mazur, Carlos, and then me. My mother sat the other end, and to her left were Steve, Valerie, and then Grandpa Mazur. After a quick blessing, Daddy started us off by filling his plate, then passing each dish around. With our plates piled high—full of pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, glazed carrots, and dinner rolls—everyone dug in.

Grandma started the dinner conversation by asking how my finals went. I smiled and said, "They were hard. But I still managed to finish the semester with all A's, so I'm pleased."

"That's great, Stephie," Grandpa chimed in. "What classes are you taking next semester?"

"Well, I still have some core classes to get out of the way. You know, English, Math, History, etc. But I'm going to take an introduction to Interior Design class which I'm really excited about."

"Interior Design? You mean like house decorating?" My mother asked.

"Well, sort of, but not exactly. If it were something I chose to pursue as a career, I would work with businesses to design office plans that would maximize space, lighting, etc., while giving them the look and feel that they want to project. Or I would help people decorate their homes, giving them a consistent flow, and help achieve the look and feel they would like their house to portray."

"Career? You want to work after you get married?" Valerie asked. And then she added, "You mean before you have kids, right?"

"I don't know if I want to have kids, but yes, I would like to work when I'm married. And if kids are in the picture, then it's something I'd discuss with my husband. I don't see myself as a stay-at-home mom; I think I'd go stir crazy."

My mother gasped. I don't think she could fathom me not having kids, or having them and then not staying home to raise them. 

"That sounds great, Pumpkin," my Dad said.

"Great?" My mother shrieked. "Frank, who would raise our grandchildren if Stephanie didn't stay home to do it?"

"Mom. I'm 19. I don't plan on having kids for a long time, if ever, so let's not panic over it now."

My mother gave me a hard stare, but let the subject drop.

"So, Steph, played any softball lately?" Steve asked me in an attempt to join the conversation.

Carlos grabbed my hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. "Yes, I play every Saturday with a great group of friends. I'm planning on talking to the coach when I get back from break to see if they have any spots on their team."

My mother stared at me; I returned the stare and decided it was now or never. "You know, I heard the funniest thing at Thanksgiving."

"What was that, Pumpkin?" Daddy asked, oblivious to the stare down between me and my mother.

"Carlos' younger sister Veronica played for Newark Catholic. Remember, the team we played in the state finals? Anyway, while she was on the bench, she overheard some scouts in the stands talking about me."

"Really?" Grandma asked. "Why didn't they talk _to_ you instead of just _about_ you? Harry and I always thought you should have played college ball."

"Well, that's funny, Grandma. Turns out I turned down some offers and said I didn't want to play in college."

The entire table grew silent, and I was feeding on the strength Carlos' hand was giving me.

"Or was that you, Mom?" I asked.

"Helen?" my Dad asked.

"What is she talking about?" Grandma asked.

My mother's eyes widened before she cleared her throat and said, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Stephanie."

"I think you do, Mom," Valerie spoke up. I never in a million years would have thought Valerie would say anything against my mother.

"What do you mean, Val? What do you think your mom knows?" Dad asked, staring at my mother.

"I answered the phone one afternoon when Steph was at practice. The guy said his name was Coach Farnsworth from Arizona State, and he asked to speak with Stephanie. Mom was right behind me and could hear him through the phone, and she grabbed the receiver. I never thought anything of it until now. It was the same night that Steve proposed, so I completely forgot to ask you about it later. I'm so sorry, Stephanie."

"Helen? Did you talk to this Coach Farnsworth? What did he want?" Grandma asked.

"I remember speaking with him, yes. He wanted to have Stephanie fly out to Arizona, and I told him no: Frank is busy working and I have a household to run, and neither of us could accompany her, so the answer was no."

"Mom, I was 18 years old, I could have gone alone. And besides, don't you think that's something I should have been able to decide for myself? You didn't even tell me about it."

"Well, it slipped my mind. And I don't care how old you are, I'm still your mother and I told him no."

"Who else?" I asked.

"What do you mean, who else?" Dad asked.

"There's no way Mom turning down one scout would have scared all the others away. Who else did you say no to?"

"I don't remember their names." Mom snipped back. "I told you I didn't want you playing softball anymore, and there was no way I was going to let you move halfway across the country to do it."

"I moved halfway across the country anyways. A scholarship would have been helpful."

"Baseball is a man's game, Stephanie," my mother retorted.

"I don't play baseball. I play softball!"

"Whatever. I still say you shouldn't. No man is going to want to marry a woman who runs around thinking she is good enough to do something that is meant for a man to do."

"Have you ever watched her play?" Carlos broke his silence.

Everyone at the table froze. This was the first time he said anything since we sat down to eat.

"What?" My mother replied _so_ eloquently.

"Have you ever watched her play? I have, and she's amazing. She struck me out, and I played baseball for three years. Besides that, the look on her face when she's playing is beautiful. You can see how happy she is. Why would you want to take that away from her?"

I just stared at Carlos. No one had ever stuck up for me like that.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, young man," my mother replied, her tone icy as ever.

"But I think you _should_ explain yourself to Stephanie," Grandma said.

"I agree with your mother, Helen. I believe you owe Stephanie a more valid reason for ruining her chance at doing something she loves. Not to mention, you knew we weren't going to be able to help her with the cost of school. Why would you take free money away from her?" I don't think I'd ever heard Daddy agree with Grandma before. Ever.

"Because it isn't what a respectable young lady from the Burg does," my mother said, as if it were a reasonable excuse.

"Mom. I have never been like anyone else from the Burg."

"God help me, I know. And for the life of me I can't understand why."

"Maybe it isn't for you to understand. Maybe you just need to accept it."

"I will not ever accept you ruining your life."

"I'm not ruining my life, Mom. I'm living it how I want to."

"Well, I don't agree with you. And I'm your mother, so you should respect my wishes. I don't think you should go back to school in Miami. I've already looked into the community college here and you could start in the spring. And I've spoken to Kathleen Orr, and her son Richard is coming for dinner tomorrow."

I glanced at Carlos and then looked back at my mother.

"Dickie Orr? Have you lost it?"

"Don't you speak to me that way, young lady. As long as you are staying in my house, you will do as I say."

"Then I guess I won't be staying in your house." I turned and looked at my dad. "Daddy, I'm sorry, but I need to go," and I stood to leave.

Carlos quickly stood, helping me by pulling my chair away from the table. My grandma stood to walk me to the door. Once we were out of earshot, I said to Grandma, "I'm going to Newark with Carlos tonight, but can I come stay with you and Grandpa tomorrow?"

"Of course, baby girl. You are welcome at our home any time you want."

"Thank you," I said as we headed out the door.

Carlos wrapped his arm around me and led me to his Bronco. "Do we need to call your parents and make sure it's ok if I stay at your house tonight?"

"Of course not. Remember, you're family to us," he said, smiling at me.

"Thank you." 

Carlos opened my door for me, but before I could get in he pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear, "Proud of you, Babe."

I leaned up and kissed him. It was a toe-curling, bone-melting kiss that I wished could continue forever. All too soon we pulled apart and got into the car to head for Newark.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Please let me know what you think!**

**Amy**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

_Previously:_

_Carlos opened my door for me, but before I could get in he pulled me into his arms and whispered in my ear, "Proud of you, Babe."_

_I leaned up and kissed him. It was a toe-curling, bone-melting kiss that I wished could continue forever. All too soon we pulled apart and got into the car to head for Newark._

**Ch. 15**

As we headed down the highway toward Newark, I could still feel the tension in my shoulders from dinner. We had been riding in silence—a comfortable silence, but silence nevertheless—and I kept replaying the conversation with my mother over and over in my head. How could she do that to me? Did she honestly believe that I would ever be a typical Burg girl? It felt like my head was going to explode. I turned to Carlos.

"Distract me. Please!"

"Distract you how?"

"Tell me about Lester's parents. His brother. He doesn't talk about his family much so I don't know anything about what they were like."

Carlos thought for a moment and then sighed. "Tia Teresa and Tio Eduardo were amazing people. My aunt was beautiful; Celia actually looks a lot like her. She had the longest hair I had ever seen. If she didn't lift it when she sat down, she would sit on it. It was a shade darker than mine and always so silky and shiny. She had the most beautiful smile, and she smiled all the time. She and my dad were really close. We always spent a lot of time together, which is probably why Les and I are so close."

"Tio Eduardo, he was great—funny, always joking. Les is a _lot_ like him. He was tall, taller than Lester is, and he had this dark blonde hair and the greenest eyes. He was Puerto Rican, and I remember my Abuelo Ben hating that he wasn't Cuban, but he would always say, 'You love my daughter so I can forgive that you aren't Cuban'." He paused for a long time, so long that I thought he wasn't going to tell me any more about them. Finally he continued, "They were so in love with each other. When they died, I remember thinking it was a good thing they died together, because I didn't think one of them would have been able to live without the other. Is that horrible of me? To be glad they died together?"

"No! Of course not. There is nothing you could have done to change the situation, so to be happy that one of them wasn't left behind to suffer without the love of their life…it isn't horrible of you." I said, trying to comfort him. "So, tell me about Alejandro. Why don't he and Les get along?"

"I didn't understand it for a long time. Then, about a year and a half after my aunt and uncle passed, I heard my papa on the phone with him. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard part of the conversation and asked him about it. Apparently, Alex and Tio Eduardo had an argument the night they died. Alex was really upset because Tio wanted him to come home for Thanksgiving, but Alex had a new girlfriend he wanted to spend the holiday with. They fought and Alex told him he hated him. They died in the accident that night and Alex blamed himself. Blamed himself for them dying, for taking them from Les when he was still so young. He couldn't forgive himself. As far as I know, he still hasn't. That's why he avoids coming home as much as possible. My papa tried to convince him that it wasn't his fault, and that even though he had said harsh words, his father knew that he loved him. But he didn't have much success."

"Did you tell Lester that was how Alex felt?"

"No. Papa made me promise not to."

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. "That's awful. I can't imagine the pain your cousin must still be in. As mad as I am at my mom right now, I would probably never forgive myself if something happened to her. Especially after the fight we just had."

"Maybe you should forgive her?" Carlos suggested.

"I'm not sure I can."

"Why not?"

I thought about it for a minute. In truth, if she hadn't interfered, I would never have gone to Miami. I wouldn't be in Carlos' car right now, holding his hand, dying for him to pull over just so I could kiss him again. "I'll try. Not tonight, but I'll call her when we get to your house to let her know I'm safe, and I'll try to forgive her soon."

"Proud of you, Babe."

"What for?"

"Well, I was proud of you before for standing up to her. It takes a lot to stand up to someone who has wronged you, especially when it's a parent. And I'm proud now that you realize that you still love her, even though you obviously didn't like the decision she made for you."

"I don't like the way she made it. I love softball. It makes me happy. And if some guy doesn't want to marry me because I like sports, then we would never last anyways. So her logic was flawed: I'm not like her and Valerie; I never have been. I like to dress up and look nice, but I'm not overly girly. The thought of kids, any time in the next five years, scares me to death. I'm not going to drop out of school, get married, and have babies just because my mother thinks that's what a 'young lady' should do. I want to be able to take care of myself. I don't want to have to depend on someone else to take care of me."

"You're independent."

"Damn skippy."

"And that's what I like about you. The fact that we can be together, in person or not, and you don't need to call me to make a decision for you. Most girls, especially in a new relationship, like to act all needy and like they're incapable of making a decision for themselves. You aren't like that. And that's what I like most about you."

"That's what you like most, huh? Geez, I thought it was my good looks." I said with a smile.

"That definitely helps."

We had just pulled into Newark and were winding our way through a subdivision similar to the Burg when Carlos pulled over. I looked out the window and noticed a house similar to the house I grew up in, only slightly larger. We hadn't been stopped for more than 30 seconds when the front door opened and Maria stepped out on to the porch. I smiled, thinking she must have 'Mom-radar' like my own mother.

I opened my door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Moments later, Carlos was beside me, taking my hand and walking up the front walk with me.

"Stephanie, it's so good to see you again," Maria said taking me in her arms for a hug.

"It's great to see you again too, Maria."

"Mama, would it be alright if Stephanie stayed the night with us? She and her Mom got into an argument and she just needs somewhere to go to cool off a bit."

"Of course. You are always welcome in our home. Celia is still in Princeton and Veronica is spending the night with a friend, so you can have their room. It's empty."

"If you're sure it isn't any trouble," I replied.

"No trouble at all, mija. Now, quick, come inside before we all freeze to death."

We stepped inside and I was greeted with wonderful aromas, similar to those from Thanksgiving. I couldn't hold back the "Mmmmm" that escaped my lips.

"Hungry?" Maria asked.

"A little. I didn't get to eat much of my dinner at home."

"Come into the kitchen and I'll get you a plate. Carlos, are you hungry too?"

"No thanks, Mama. I got full at the Plums'. I'm just going to run back outside and grab Stephanie's bags."

"Would it be alright if I called my parents first and let them know that I made it here safely?"

"Of course, dear, the phone is right here."

Maria pointed out the phone and then headed into the kitchen. I dialed my parent's house and after three rings, Valerie picked up. "Hello?"

"Val? It's me, Steph."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Will you just let Mom and Dad know I made it to Newark safely?"

"Sure. Steph, are you coming back?"

"Not tonight, but probably tomorrow."

"Ok. Night."

"Bye."

After my call I headed into the kitchen were Ricardo greeted me with his own hug. Angie and Gabby were washing the dishes, and Antonio was leaning over the counter playing a handheld video game. After hugging them all, I sat down at the table to enjoy a plate of delicious food. Maria mentioned something about arroz con pollo, but all I really knew was that this food was incredible. I moaned my way through my plate and then noticed Carlos standing against the counter staring at me, his eyes black as the night.

By now it was close to nine and the rest of his family was getting ready for bed. "Are you tired?"

"A little bit, yeah. Why? What did you have in mind?" I asked with a smile on my face.

"I was thinking we could watch a movie and enjoy a little privacy."

"Sounds good."

Carlos led me into the living room, and I took a seat on the couch while he set up the movie. He pulled an afghan off the back of the love seat and draped it over us as he sat down. The movie had barely started when his parents popped back into the room.

"Good night, you two," Ricardo said.

"Carlos, don't forget to lock the front door before coming upstairs," Maria added.

"I won't, Mama. Good night."

"Good night. Thank you again for letting me stay."

"Anytime," Maria and Ricardo said in unison. Then Ricardo placed his hand on the small of Maria's back and led her out of the living room.

"Your parents are so cute," I said to Carlos with a smile.

"Sickeningly so."

I leaned my head onto Carlos' shoulder and sighed as he tightened his arm around me. I turned my head up and planted soft kisses along the underside of his jaw. Working my way up, I sucked his earlobe into my mouth, biting it slightly. This elicited a small growl. I released his earlobe and kissed behind his ear, then shifted slightly so that I could reach his neck easier. Carlos' right hand moved onto my thigh and closer to my center as I began placing kisses down his throat. When I reached the place where his neck met his shoulder, I sucked the skin into my mouth, earning another growl.

I kissed down his neck and placed slightly harder kisses up his throat, giving attention to the other side. He shifted his position so I could reach the right side, and my left hand brushed across the growing bulge in his pants. After a couple of firm strokes, Carlos pulled me on top of him so that I was straddling his lap. His hands moved to my butt, and he pulled me closer, tighter to him. I moved my attention from his neck to his mouth, where our tongues picked up a rhythm I'm sure we both wished was being applied elsewhere as well. When we broke the kiss, Carlos moved his mouth to give my neck attention similar to what I had been giving his, all the while continuing to hold my center tight against his now rock-hard length. Just before he took my earlobe into his mouth, Carlos whispered, "God, I want you so bad, Babe".

I didn't want the attention he was giving me to stop, but even though my hormones wanted to, I wasn't ready to move things that far yet. I couldn't stop myself from tensing up and, of course, Carlos noticed instantly.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Carlos asked, pulling back.

I was embarrassed. Here I was, straddling him on his parents couch, and _I_ had started this: I was the one kissing his neck and stroking him, when all he had been doing was watching a movie. "I'm sorry," I said sheepishly, burying my face in his chest.

"Sorry about what? Please, Babe, tell me what's wrong."

"I want you too, Carlos, I do, but I'm just not ready for that step yet," I said, as my cheeks burned with embarrassment.

"Hey," he said, with both hands on my face, lifting it until I looked him in the eye. "There's nothing to be sorry for. I can wait as long as you want me to. We won't go any further than you want to, ok?"

I nodded and whispered, "Ok".

"Can I keep kissing you?" He asked.

"You better," I replied with a smile.

We continued to kiss while whatever movie Carlos had put on played through. Once it was over, Carlos shut everything off, locked up, and led me up the stairs. He showed me to the empty bedroom, which had a three-quarter bath attached. He sat on the bed while I excused myself to answer the call of nature, wash my face, and brush my teeth and change into pajamas before returning to the bedroom. Carlos was sitting against the headboard of the bed, and I climbed in to join him.

"Would it be alright if I held you for just a little bit before I go to my room, Babe?" Carlos asked hesitantly.

"It would be perfect," I said as I rolled over and cuddled into his warm chest. I leaned up and kissed him passionately and whispered, "Good night, Carlos".

"Good night, Babe."

The next thing I knew I was waking to the smell of breakfast coming up the stairs. The sun was shining through the window and I was alone in the bedroom. After freshening up in the bathroom, and pulling my hair into a messy bun, I threw on a sweatshirt and headed downstairs to join Carlos' family. I was one of the first to arrive in the kitchen; the only others downstairs were Maria, Ricardo, and Angie.

"Oh, an early riser," Ricardo stated more than asked. "My children usually aren't up before noon."

"I love sleeping in, but my roommate this semester was an early riser, and she converted me by force," I said with a smile.

A full plate of pancakes and bacon later, Carlos and Antonio made an appearance in the kitchen. Carlos was still somewhat mussed from sleep and looked incredibly sexy. I was shocked that he hadn't come downstairs until nearly eight in the morning–Lester always talked about how early Carlos got up to work out. I guess Christmas break meant sleeping in for him.

He sat down at the table next to me where I was finishing my orange juice. He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek and said, "Morning, Babe."

I smiled at him and returned the "Good morning", then excused myself from the table and went upstairs to take a shower. An hour later, I was clean and fully dressed and met Carlos in the living room. Sometime during my shower, Gabby had gotten up and was in the kitchen talking to her mom. I joined Carlos on the couch and asked, "Would you mind driving me back to Trenton? I promised my grandma and grandpa I would come by today, and I should probably talk to my mom."

"Sure Babe."

He went in the kitchen to tell his parents where we were going, and with a quick goodbye I left, promising to come back soon. We drove back to Trenton, discussing Christmas plans, and I told him that after I worked things out with my parents, I would arrange to borrow a car and come back to Newark to spend part of the holiday with his family. When we pulled up in front of my grandparents' house, Carlos got out to walk me to the door. Grandma had peeked out the window, but after returning my wave, stayed inside to give us a little privacy. On the front step, Carlos pulled me close to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in for a goodbye kiss. It wasn't as frenzied as many of our kisses had been since I arrived in Jersey, but rather a romantic, tender kiss that spoke of promises to come. With renewed assurances that I would call him, Carlos left to head back to Newark, and I headed inside to talk to my grandparents.

"There's my baby granddaughter," Grandma Mazur said, pulling me into a hug.

"Hi Grandma. I hope it's ok that I just came by."

"Of course it's ok, Stephie," Grandpa Mazur said, coming up behind me and planting a kiss in my hair.

"Sorry I ran out on dinner last night. How bad was it when I left?" I asked hesitantly.

"Well, it sure wasn't good," Grandma said.

"Your mother had no right to do what she did to you," Grandpa said, "and we all let her know it."

"All? Who's all?"

"All of us. Me, your grandpa, your dad, and Valerie," Grandma said.

I was stunned. "You all stood up for me?" I asked, when I got my voice back.

"Of course we did, Stephie. What your mother did was wrong."

I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. "Hey, come on now. No crying," my Grandma declared. "Besides, we want to hear all about the stud muffin that just dropped you off."

"Yeah, does he knock your socks off when you kiss?" Grandpa asked with an eyebrow waggle.

I couldn't contain my laughter. "He is definitely a good kisser." I said with an embarrassed smile on my face.

"Hey, no need to be embarrassed, baby girl," Grandma said. "Ain't nothing wrong with kissin'."

"I know, Grandma."

"As long as he shows you more respect than that louse Morelli," Grandpa added.

"Oh, he definitely does."

"I'm sure glad you have Carlos," Grandma began. "Ain't no way I woulda let your momma set you up with that Orr boy. I saw him all over that Barnyard girl just a couple days ago. Lord knows what she's carrying."

I smiled at Grandma. She hated Joyce as much as I did.

"Oh my gosh, I almost forgot!" I squealed. "Last night when I was setting the table, I saw Steve come in. He was a mess, and if he was just 'talking to an old buddy', I'll kiss Dickie Orr right on the mouth. His hair was a mess, his lips were swollen, and I would swear his pants were unzipped."

"That's no good…Edna, where's my gun?" Grandpa asked.

"Now Harry, calm down. Getting all excited isn't good for your heart."

I gave my Grandpa a solemn look. The thought of losing him made me terribly sad.

"You know, the _only_ thing I hate about Miami is that it's so far away from you guys."

"Well, baby girl…your Grandpa and I've been talking about that."

"Don't tell me you want me to move back too?"

"Of course not. We've been talking about moving to Miami."

I stared back and forth between my grandma and grandpa. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. They had lived in Jersey their entire lives.

"What?" What I can I say? I get my eloquence from my mother.

"Well, the cold weather really affects my arthritis, and your grandpa and I have always loved the beach. We've been talking about it for a few months now, and we found an investor that wants to buy our house already. We're moving next month."

I gasped. "Next month? Have you told Mom yet?"

"Well…no," Grandma said.

"She's going to have a cow!"

"We're grown adults. Your mother can't tell us what to do," Grandpa chimed in. "If I want to spend the rest of my days living by the ocean and enjoying the warm Miami air, then that's what I'll do."

"That sounds great. I'm driving back with Carlos after New Year's, and I'm sure he'd be happy to take anything we can fit in his Bronco."

"That won't be necessary, sweetie. We've hired movers, and decided to fly down. We want the move to be as relaxing as possible."

"Do you have somewhere to live yet? What are you going to do for a car?"

"We're selling our car here, and we'll use that to buy us a new one. We bought a small house on Northwest 27th, near West Little Havana."

"Are you kidding?"

"No. Is there something wrong with that part of town?" Grandma asked somewhat concerned.

"No! Carlos' Abuela lives on Northwest 27th. Oh, you two will love her, she's so nice. I'll introduce you as soon as you get moved in."

"That would be wonderful, Stephie."

"I guess we should head to Mom and Dad's and tell them about your move? The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."

"You're right, let's go," Grandma said, grabbing her purse.

"Wait, should we say something to Val about Steve?"

"Would you want to know?" Grandma asked me.

"Yes. Absolutely."

"Then tell her. But don't do it in front of Steve."

We headed out the door and all piled into Grandpa's Buick. It was only a block over, but Grandma and Grandpa might need a quick getaway, so they didn't want to be without their car. As we pulled up out front, Mom and Val stepped out on the porch. It was eerie to me how similar they were.

"Mother. Daddy. I didn't expect you two this afternoon." My mom didn't even acknowledge that I was standing there. Wasn't I supposed to be the angry one?

"We have something we need to talk to you about, Helen." Grandpa said.

"Well, come on in. You'll catch your death out here."

Mom led us into the house and to the living room. Daddy shut off the television and stood up to greet me with a hug as soon as we stepped in.

"You ok, Pumpkin?" he whispered in my ear.

"I'm fine, Daddy," I whispered back.

"Ok. Mother. Daddy. What is it you wanted to talk about? Come to yell at me some more?"

"We didn't yell at you, Helen. We simply let you know that we were disappointed in the way you treated Stephanie. But no, that isn't what we came to discuss," Grandma said. She took a deep breath but before she could speak again, Grandpa spoke up.

"We're moving to Miami. We've already sold the house, the car is for sale, and we leave next month," he said in a rush.

My mom sat there with her mouth hanging open, unable to say anything. My dad looked between her and my grandparents, I'm sure trying to determine if my mom was going to freak out.

Rage flared in my mom's eyes as she turned to me. "This is ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"All my fault? How is it _my_ fault?" I asked, stunned that she would blame me.

"If you had stayed here in Trenton like I wanted you to, my parents wouldn't be moving to Florida. Do you know how far away that is?" My mother was becoming hysterical. "Everyone is leaving me. What's wrong with me? Why me?" She broke down sobbing.

I looked at Grandma and Grandpa, unsure of what to say.

"Helen, we have talked about moving to somewhere warmer for years, you know that. We talked to you about it extensively. Stephanie had no impact on us moving, only on the location. We considered moving to Vegas, but thought better of it. This way, you can all come to Miami to visit, or Steph can travel up to Jersey with us."

"What about me?" Val asked quietly.

"Sweetie, we didn't want to move to California, but you are welcome to visit us in Miami whenever you want. And we'll come visit you too," Grandma said.

Valerie started crying and ran upstairs. I looked to Daddy, "Where's Steve."

"Out," my father said curtly. I had no doubt he suspected something too.

I headed upstairs and found Valerie sitting on her bed, crying. I pushed the door open and asked, "Can I come in?"

Val only nodded.

"You ok?"

"Yes. I have no idea why I'm crying. Damn pregnancy hormones! It isn't like Grandma and Grandpa living in Florida is any different than them living here: I'm still an entire country away."

"Hey, it'll be ok. I promise. Where's Steve?"

Valerie heaved a sigh. "He's out. Again! I think he might be cheating on me. The pregnancy is killing my sex drive, and I'm afraid he's getting his needs fulfilled elsewhere."

"Val, he helped you get pregnant. Don't put up with that."

"I love him, Stephanie. I just need to try harder. As soon as we get home, I'm going to make myself have sex whenever he wants to. Then he won't need to look elsewhere."

I had the distinct feeling that Steve would look elsewhere no matter what, but I just didn't have the heart to say that to my crying, pregnant sister.

"Just be careful, ok?"

"What do you mean?"

"If he _has_ strayed, I don't want you to catch something. It could harm my niece or nephew in there."

"I think it's a girl," Val said with a smile.

"Isn't it too early to know that?"

"Yes. Just my gut telling me."

"A little girl would be awesome. I can teach her to play softball." We looked at each other and laughed. "You know, as mad as I am at what Mom did, if she hadn't, I wouldn't have met Carlos. And the funniest part is he grew up an hour away from me. Don't you think it was kind of like fate?"

"Don't stay mad at Mom too long, ok? She was really upset last night, even though she tried not to show it. I think she just wanted to keep you close by, especially when she knew I was moving. And yes, I think it must be fate. Carlos is really gorgeous!"

"I know, and he's an amazing kisser!" I said with a smile.

"I bet he'll be amazing at other things too," Val said with a nudge.

"I'm not ready for that."

"Don't rush. And for God's sake, get on the Pill. I'm so excited about this baby, but I wasn't ready for her yet."

I smiled at Val's use of "her". "I will."

"I could go with you to the clinic tomorrow, if they're open. You have to be on the Pill at least a week, or even better, two, before it's fully effective."

I thought about it for a minute. While I didn't want to admit to my older sister that I wanted to have sex with Carlos, I knew she wasn't stupid. "Ok. Thanks Val. I really appreciate it."

"What are sisters for?"

I took Val's arm in mine and led her downstairs to make sure everyone was still alive down there.

Mom was sitting on the couch with Grandma's arm around her; Daddy and Grandpa had disappeared.

"Are you ok, sweetheart?" Mom stood and asked Val.

"I'm fine Mom, just hormonal."

Mom turned her attention to me. "Stephanie, could I speak with you in the kitchen?"

I just nodded and turned to follow her. _Oh boy! Here we go!_

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Do you think Stephanie's mother will apologize? Do you guys want to meet Alejandro? Should it pleasant or tension filled? Please let me know what you think!**

**Amy**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

_Previously:_

_Mom turned her attention to me. "Stephanie, could I speak with you in the kitchen?"_

_I just nodded and turned to follow her. Oh boy! Here we go!_

**Ch. 16**

**Frank's POV**

I had never been as angry with my wife as I was at that moment. Just an hour ago our youngest daughter left the house truly devastated by Helen's actions. I knew Helen didn't like Stephanie playing softball, but I never thought she would ruin her chances of getting a college scholarship.

I felt bad enough not being able to help Stephanie more with the cost of college, but between Valerie's wedding and trying to put as much as possible into my 401K retirement plan through my job at the post office, there wasn't much we could do. I had been considering giving her a portion of my end-of-year bonus to help; now I was determined that I would.

Edna and Harry had spent quite a bit of time letting Helen know how disappointed they were in her behavior. Helen didn't cry, though, she remained stoic as always. Even when Valerie said it was a rotten thing to do, her calm, passive exterior didn't change. I knew she was upset; I could tell by looking in her eyes. She was embarrassed, but I couldn't decide if it was because of what she did, or because she got caught.

Unable to control my temper in her presence any longer, I headed upstairs to cool down. I was surprised when less than ten minutes later, Helen joined me in our bedroom. She came in looking defeated, and then jumped when she saw me. I guess she didn't realize I was up here.

She sat on the bed beside me, and as much as I wanted to yell and scream at her, I took a calming breath and began talking in the most non-threatening voice I could manage. "What were you thinking?" I asked her.

She looked at me for a moment before sighing and saying, "I wasn't. Not really. I didn't want her playing softball, and I definitely didn't want her going away for school. I thought if I just told the scouts 'No', that would be the end of it. Without a scholarship, I never imagined she would leave Jersey."

"Well, she did. Why didn't you say something when she told us she was going to Miami for school?"

"I was in denial, I suppose. I assumed if she didn't have a car, and if we weren't going to be able to help her, she would end up not going. But when mother and daddy helped her buy that piece of crap and then she packed all of her things…by then it was too late to stop her."

"You owe her an apology. And we have to find a way to help her with the cost of school."

"I know I do. If she ever comes back home, I will apologize to her, I promise."

"She'll be back."

"I hope you're right. So how are we going to help with school costs? I'm afraid Valerie may need our help soon, too."

"I have my end-of-year bonus coming next week—we can help Steph with some of that. As for Valerie, the second she decides to leave that piece of shit, I will do everything I can for her. Until then, I'm afraid Steve will spend anything we give her, and I don't want him to have a penny of my money."

"You think he's cheating?"

"I would bet my life on it."

Helen let out a huge sigh. I could tell she felt defeated, both by Stephanie's outburst at dinner, and the situation brewing with Valerie and Steve. I hated to add to it, but I had to say what I felt.

"You have to fix this with Stephanie."

"I know I…"

I interrupted her, "I mean it, Helen. No half-hearted attempts. You have to. If you push her away from us completely, I will never forgive you. I love you, but I will never forgive you."

"I won't let her walk away from us, Frank. I promise I won't."

"See that you don't," I said, and then stood and left the bedroom. As much as I love Helen, I could barely get past my anger. I only hoped she kept her promise and fixed things with Stephanie as soon as possible, or else I might be in need of a new address.

**Stephanie's POV**

_The next morning…._

I followed my mother into the kitchen hesitantly, certain that the coming conversation wasn't going to be pleasant. However, what came out of my mother's mouth was not what I ever expected to hear.

"Stephanie, I'm sorry."

I gaped at her, shock written all over my face. I had no idea what to say. Seemingly uncomfortable with the silence, my mother continued, "I had no right to interfere with your chances of playing softball. My attempts at keeping you close still pushed you away, and now you have to suffer both the burden of paying for school and not getting to do something you love. I cannot tell you how sorry I am."

I still couldn't make my mouth form words.

She went on, "And I'm sorry for blowing up at you this morning. I know mother and daddy have been talking about moving somewhere warmer because of mother's arthritis, but I just never expected that they would really do it. And with daddy's heart issues, the thought of not having him close if something happens…" and she dissolved into tears.

I wasn't sure what to do at first. My family doesn't do emotions. We rarely hug, practically never say I love you, and the only time I've seen my mother cry was at Valerie's wedding. Instinctively, I moved to my mom's side and wrapped my arms around her.

"I know, Mom. I know. The thought of something happening to Grandpa has me scared too."

"I know death happens, but the thought of losing him terrifies me. And then having you so angry with me on top of it, I just don't know if I can handle it."

"I forgive you, Mom. I'm not happy about what you did, but I'm not angry at you anymore. If anything, I guess I should be thanking you."

"Thanking me? For what?" my mother asked, truly stunned.

"If I had gotten a scholarship, I would have taken it. I wouldn't have gone to Miami, and I would have never met Carlos. I really like him, Mom."

"Stephanie, what do you know about that boy? He is a nice looking young man, yes, but he looks like trouble to me."

"Mom, I have never had a guy treat me with as much respect as Carlos does. He loves his family, he works hard, does well in school, and he hasn't tried to push me into anything."

"All of those are good things, but he isn't from here, Stephanie. And he most certainly isn't Italian."

"No, he isn't from the Burg, Mom. And I'm sorry to say this, but guys from the Burg kind of suck, not including Daddy and Grandpa."

My mother gasped and stared at me.

"Oh, come on, Mom! Joe Morelli took my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry when I was 16 years old, and then wrote about it all over town before leaving for the Navy. And I won't even mention the incident in his father's garage when I was only five. Valerie thinks Steve is cheating on her, and he is her husband and the father of her unborn baby. I'm not seeing any shining examples of Mr. Right here."

"Well, Richard Orr…" and I cut her off right there.

"Mom, Dickie Orr is scum! Grandma saw him and Joyce Barnhardt fooling around. In public! You cannot convince me he is a good guy. No way, no how!"

Mom thought about that for a moment and then nodded. She wasn't very fond of Joyce either, considering the number of times she was called to the principal's office over the trouble Joyce was causing me. After a few moments appearing lost in thought, Mom said, "Why don't you invite Carlos over to share Christmas Eve dinner with us? And if he wants, he is welcome to join us at Mass."

I nodded before saying, "Ok. And if you don't mind, I would like to go to his house Christmas day. My friend Lester is his cousin, and he and his Abuela Rosa will be here from Miami. Also, Les's brother is supposed to be in from Colorado, and I would really like to meet him."

"That's fine, Stephanie, as long as you spend Christmas morning with us."

I nodded. With our conversation over, we headed back into the living room where my grandparents were still waiting.

"Mother, do you need any help packing?" my mom asked Grandma.

With a smile, Grandma said, "That would be wonderful, Helen. Thank you."

With all of the fires seemingly put out, we went back into the kitchen to grab some lunch before heading to Grandma and Grandpa's house to help with the packing process.

The next two days passed in a flurry of activity. Carlos and I spoke on the phone several times a day, solidifying our plans. Les and Abuela Rosa would be arriving Christmas Eve morning; Alex was coming in the same day, later in the afternoon. Carlos would come over to spend the day with us, but would leave after dinner to join his own family for Christmas Eve mass. I was excited to meet Alex, but nervous for Les. He hadn't seen his brother in many years, and I hoped the reunion would go well.

Val and I managed to sneak away to the free clinic in the next town over. Thankfully, we didn't see anyone we recognized from the Burg, so hopefully it wouldn't get back to my mother. I opted for the birth control shot instead of the pill, as I can be forgetful and didn't want to miss a pill and end up pregnant. The doctor told me that because of the way the shot coincided with my cycle, it would be effective immediately. While I didn't think I was ready to take that step with Carlos immediately, I was glad to know I was protected, at least from pregnancy, right away.

Val and I stopped for Pino's subs after my doctor's visit, and I tried in vain to convince her she shouldn't put up with Steve cheating on her. She told me she took vows and planned to honor them. My reminding her that Steve had broken his didn't seem to sit well, and instead of another family fight, I dropped the subject. Instead we discussed the baby, her ideas for names, how she would decorate the nursery if it _was _a girl, and how she would decorate if it ended up being a boy. With the way her heart was set on it being a girl, I feared for the child if it ended up being a boy.

I also managed to squeeze in a little time with Mary Lou, and she asked me to be her maid of honor at her wedding. She was planning it for the following July, and I told her I would be honored. We started talking plans and what I could help her with from Miami. I convinced her to come by on Christmas Eve to meet Carlos; she said she wouldn't miss it. Apparently the word on the street was I was seeing some dangerous but gorgeous black guy who had convinced me to run away with him, and that was where I had really been instead of college. The Burg, always so close and yet so far away from knowing the truth.

When I awoke Christmas Eve morning, you would have thought I was five years old and that it was actually Christmas. I hogged the bathroom for a long, hot shower where I shave and exfoliated so that my legs and skin were extra smooth. I didn't know how much of my skin Carlos would be touching, but I didn't want to take any chances. I disappeared into my room so the rest of my family could use the bathroom. Then I spent the next hour on my hair and makeup so that I looked as good as possible while looking like I hadn't actually tried very hard—definitely an acquired skill.

I was practically vibrating with anticipation of his arrival, and hadn't been able to sit still all morning. When Carlos pulled up at nine, it took all of my willpower not to rush out the door and jump him. He looked so incredibly sexy when he stepped around his Bronco and headed up the walk. With his long hair pulled back into a low ponytail, dressed in a pair of black fitted slacks that accented his best assets and a red dress shirt with the top two buttons undone, Carlos was working to prove that at least one part of the rumor floating around the Burg was true—Carlos is _definitely_ gorgeous.

He flashed me an award-winning smile when his eyes caught mine, and I'm guessing he had just spent a few moments checking me out too. I was wearing a green sweater that molded to my curves, and black, wide-leg slacks with a pair of black boots that had a chunky, small heel and good traction on the bottom. Normally, I would be in heels, but with the ice on the ground outside, I didn't think it was wise.

Carlos climbed the stairs, and with a quick kiss we headed inside. Since we had both eaten breakfast, we decided to head upstairs for some privacy. My mother was busy prepping for lunch in the kitchen with Valerie, Steve was out again, and Daddy was watching something on the Discovery channel. As soon as we entered my bedroom and I shut the door, Carlos had me pushed up against it with his lips pressed firmly against mine.

We quickly migrated to the bed and in an instant he was on top of me, with his hand up my shirt and his hips between my legs. I could feel how the kissing was affecting him, and I knew that my desire would win out soon, but I didn't want it to be in my parents' house with them downstairs. He was exploring my mouth with his tongue, while the fingers on his right hand were teasing the nipple on my left breast. Sensing my conflicting desires to both move forward and stop, Carlos slowly removed his hand from my breast and dragged it down to rest on my hip. He pulled back from the kiss and looked me in the eyes.

"I missed you, Babe."

"I missed you too, Carlos. How did we last three weeks without seeing each other, and now two days is pure torture?"

"I don't know, but I hope that we won't have to ever spend that much time apart again."

"Me too, Carlos. Me too."

We laid together in relative silence, alternating between kissing and touching each other and then just holding each other. We briefly talked about the fact that we didn't want to spend a lot of time apart for the rest of the break, so we made plans to see each other at least every other day, if not every day. I had asked Grandpa about using his car, and he said I could use Uncle Sandor's Buick any time I wanted. Uncle Sandor was my Grandma's older brother, and he currently lived in a nursing home. When he went into the home he gave Grandma his car, but since she doesn't have a driver's license, it just sits in the garage not being used. While it would never be my choice of car to own, or drive with any frequency, I figured it would work to get back and forth to Newark to visit Carlos.

Our cuddling and petting was cut short when my mom yelled up the stairs that lunch was ready. I knew it would be a light lunch because we would be having a big dinner, but I was starving and ready for whatever she had prepared. We exited the bedroom the same time that Valerie and Steve exited hers. Valerie had a rosy glow to her cheeks, and Steve had an expression on his face that I couldn't quite name. With a wink, Valerie turned and led him down the stairs. Before we could follow, Carlos whispered in my ear, "What was that about?"

"What?" I asked unsure what he was referring to.

"Your sister and her husband came out of the bedroom, with her looking very relaxed, and him looking… I don't know, annoyed? Inconvenienced? I can't place the look."

"She thinks he's cheating on her. She's determined to keep him busy enough that he won't want to look elsewhere. I don't think any amount of time spent on her back is going to keep him from straying."

"That jerk. I know people, Babe. Want me to…take care of him?" Carlos asked with a completely straight face. I wasn't sure if he was serious or not until his blank face crumbled and he smiled at me.

In an attempt to throw him off a little I looked at him as seriously as I could muster and said, "I'll let you know." I saw the indecision in his eyes as he stared into mine to see whether I meant it. I could tell the moment he caught my joke, and we both laughed and headed downstairs.

"Hello, Carlos. So glad you could join us," my mother greeted Carlos as we gathered at the dining room table.

"Thank you for inviting me." Carlos replied with his winning smile. I noticed my mother blush slightly and smiled at the effect his smile had on her.

"So, Carlos, does your family do anything special for Christmas?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary, ma'am."

My mother interrupted to say, "You can call me Helen."

My mom has never asked any of my friends to call her Helen. I was stunned. Carlos continued, "We always have a large lunch as a family and then gather together to exchange gifts. This year will be very special though, as my cousin Alex is here. He hasn't been home for a Christmas in many years, and we are all very happy to have him here."

I was afraid my mother would push to find out why Alex hadn't been around, but she didn't. Instead she smiled at him and said, "How wonderful!" The conversation continued from there, with everyone making an attempt to get to know Carlos.

We were just finishing up lunch when there was a knock on the front door. When the door opened and someone yelled "Hello?", I knew Mary Lou had arrived. I stood to greet her, smiling as her eyes caught sight of Carlos and widened with shock.

I gave her a quick hug and introduced her to Carlos, who had stood to shake her hand. I turned to my mother who was clearing the table and asked, "Mom, did you hear the good news?"

She gave me a puzzled look, so I continued, saying, "Lenny proposed to Mary Lou. They're getting married this summer and she's asked me to be her maid of honor."

"Mary Lou, congratulations! See, there are good guys from the Burg," Mom said to me before remembering Steve was still seated at the table.

My sister chimed in with, "Of course there are!"

I couldn't contain my eye roll as I turned back to Mary Lou. "Come on, let's go to my bedroom to talk."

Carlos, Mary Lou and I all headed back upstairs. We had no sooner closed the door when Mary Lou asked, "Steve and your sister are still together?"

I couldn't quite read the shocked look on her face when I nodded yes. "Steph, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but he's cheating on her."

"I know. She knows. She thinks she isn't 'trying hard enough' to keep him from straying. I've tried telling her not to put up with it, but she's pregnant and there is no way she'll walk away from him."

"Lenny knows people. Want me to have him taken care of?" She asked with a completely serious expression on her face. Carlos and I glanced at each other and then laughed.

"I'll let you know," I responded with a smile.

We spent the next two hours telling Carlos stories about our childhood, as well as looking at an old picture album. When Carlos got to the picture of me in the majorette outfit, he gave me his wolf grin, saying, "Love the boots, Babe". We laughed a lot, and I was reminded how much I loved the sound of this man's laugh. 

Mary Lou left to go spend the rest of Christmas Eve with her family, but not before making plans to have lunch together one day this week so that Carlos could meet Lenny. After she left, Carlos and I spent a few minutes cuddling and talking before joining the rest of my family in the living room. I was hijacked into kitchen duty, leaving Carlos in the living room with my dad and grandpa once again.

We had been in the kitchen about an hour when the front door opened, marking Steve's return. I gave Valerie a knowing look and she just smiled and shook her head. I swear, if she would let me have a go at him, she certainly wouldn't have to worry about him cheating on her anymore.

Grandma went to the living room shortly after, and a few minutes later I heard laughter. I had the feeling that Grandma had pulled out the family photo albums. Mom had one of me and one of Valerie that catalogued our lives—from birth through high school graduation. I had a lot of "ugly" years and I was nervous for Carlos to see those pictures, but decided to let Grandma have her fun.

After the laughter died down, I heard a strange silence and then the clearing of throats, and went to investigate. When I walked into the living room, I couldn't believe my ears.

"Man, when I saw Steph in her Senior Prom dress I had to cover my lap with a pillow. I mean, I always knew she was hot, but damn. I think I might have picked the wrong sister."

I couldn't believe the words coming out of Steve's mouth, and in front of my father no less. Carlos looked just as angry as my dad, and I knew if I didn't diffuse the situation fast, I would be minus one brother-in-law—and two of the most important guys in my life would be in serious trouble.

I was unsure what to say, so when my mouth opened and words fell out, I couldn't believe it: "Val wants you in the kitchen, Steve."

He looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened slightly at seeing me standing there. He gave a curt nod and then got up and walked past me toward the kitchen. I grabbed Carlos' hand and said, "Let's go get a little fresh air." As we were heading out the door, I said, "Grandpa, didn't you have something at the house to give to Daddy? Maybe a little walk before dinner would do you both some good."

He gave me a wink and a nod and he and Daddy left to go down the street. Grandma went back into the kitchen and Carlos and I grabbed our coats and headed outside. I could feel the anger that Carlos was definitely trying to control. We walked down the front steps and headed in the opposite direction of my grandpa and dad.

"You ok?" I asked after we had walked about a block and a half. Carlos only nodded.

"Did I hear the worst of it?" He gave a gentle shake of his head. "You want to tell me what else the ass said?"

Carlos paused and looked into my eyes before taking a deep breath and then slowly letting it out. "He made a reference to you and Morelli and the Tasty Pastry incident."

"What did he say?"

"Something about wishing you had learned the spontaneous behavior from your sister but being sorely disappointed."

I sucked in a breath. I couldn't believe those things would come out of Steve's mouth. Ok, I could believe it. He was nothing but scum, but to say them in front of my dad? That part was hard to believe.

As if answering my unasked question, Carlos said, "He was drunk, Babe. I could smell it on him the moment he walked in the room."

"Do you think you'll be able to sit at the dinner table with him?" I asked.

"I'd do anything for you, Babe. But I can't promise I'm not going to punch him if he talks that way about you again. That is _unacceptable_!"

I gave him a soft smile, and then pulled him to me for a kiss.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Christmas at the Manoso's next. How do you think that will go? Please review!**

**Amy**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

_Previously:_

"_Do you think you'll be able to sit at the dinner table with him?" I asked._

"_I'd do anything for you, Babe. But I can't promise I'm not going to punch him if he talks that way about you again. That is unacceptable!"_

_I gave him a soft smile, and then pulled him to me for a kiss._

Ch. 17

Stephanie's POV

Carlos and I walked for a while, and when we reached the local park, we found a bench and sat down, so we could relax and make out some more. After what seemed like hours, we pulled away from each other, breathless."

"I'm totally falling for you, Babe," Carlos said, and then widened his eyes slightly, as if he hadn't meant to say that out loud.

I gave him my full smile and said, "Good to know, Carlos. 'Cause I think I'm falling for you too." He gave me another searing kiss before pulling back. I knew if we didn't stop soon that neither of us would be able to, and the idea of our first time being on a park bench in 40-degree weather wasn't that appealing. Carlos stood and pulled me up with him before saying, "We should head back".

When we arrived back at my house, it was quiet. Dad and Grandpa were sitting in the living room watching television. Mom, Val, and Grandma were in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner, and Steve had disappeared again. Not that I was upset about that.

Carlos and I took the china that was sitting on the kitchen counter into the dining room to set the table. We had just finished when Steve came in and took his seat, just waiting to eat. Carlos was right, I could smell the alcohol on him and he had what looked like lipstick on the collar of his shirt. I rolled my eyes at him before going back into the kitchen to start grabbing serving dishes and bringing them to the table.

We all gathered for dinner at five, an hour earlier than normal, so that we could eat our dinner and make it to mass at seven without rushing. The conversation at dinner was light, and my Mom asked Carlos what he planned to do after college. He told her of his interest in business, but admitted he wasn't sure what he wanted to do yet.

Dad mentioned his time in the military helping him decide the types of jobs he _didn't_ want to do, and we all laughed when he mentioned he had no interest in scrubbing anything with a toothbrush ever again.

Grandpa mentioned how much he enjoyed his time in the military, and that being in the Air Force helped him segue into commercial airline work. While flying commercial jets wasn't as thrilling as fighter planes, it paid the bills—although he hated how much he'd had to travel, making him miss a lot of my mom's childhood.

When he was talking about some of his favorite places to fly, Carlos leaned over and whispered, "Maybe your desire to fly comes from your grandpa, Babe?"

I smiled at his question and whispered back, "I hate flying in airplanes. I want to be able to feel the wind in my face. I want my own wings."

The rest of dinner went well, and before I knew it, Carlos had to head back to Newark and I needed to get ready for church. I walked him to his car; he pinned me against it while kissing the daylights out of me, and then told me he would see me tomorrow. I watched him climb into the driver's seat, and then stepped back and watched him drive away.

XXXXXXXXXX

I woke up Christmas morning with a smile on my face. And while I knew my dream of Carlos in nothing but a red bow wouldn't be under my tree, I was excited to spend the day with him and his family.

I spent the morning with my family, unwrapping presents. Mom and Dad got each other their standard boring gifts, which were really just basic needs that they passed off as presents. Steve got Val a nice cashmere scarf, and she got him a monogrammed briefcase. They apparently had agreed not to spend much money as they were saving for the baby.

Mom and Dad gave Val a beautiful necklace with a diamond heart, and Steve a nice silk tie. I got a very nice watch as well as a check, with instructions to use the money to cover the cost of my books this semester. I was more grateful for the check than the watch, but thanked them profusely for both.

Grandma and Grandpa gave us each a gift card—Val's to Maternity, and mine to Victoria's Secret. Grandma gave me a wink when I looked at her after opening it, and I couldn't help but blush. I knew instantly that I wanted to pick something out that Carlos would drool over when we finally had some privacy.

After a light breakfast, Valerie and Steve prepared to head to his family's house to celebrate, and I got ready to go to Carlos's house. I couldn't wait to give him his gift, but most of all, I couldn't wait to have his lips on mine again.

XXXXXXXXXX

I arrived at the Manoso's house a little after 11 a.m. Carlos met me on the porch with a warm, passionate kiss. When he pulled away, he whispered, "Merry Christmas, Babe." I smiled and wished him a Merry Christmas, too. He pulled back looking a little unsure before speaking again.

"Babe…Les, Abuela Rosa and Alex are all here. I'm not going to sugarcoat it, it's pretty awkward in there. This is the first time we have all been together since my Abuelo's funeral, and that was only for about an hour. Before that, it was Tia Teresa and Tio Eduardo's funeral."

"Carlos, weren't you at my house with me when I came home from Miami? I totally get awkward. It'll be fine."

As we entered the house I was greeted by hugs from the entire family, including Les and Abuela Rosa. When I finally laid eyes on Alex, he wasn't what I had been expecting: tall, maybe an inch taller than Lester, but with a much wider build. Strong, broad shoulders, dark brown hair, and definitely the Manoso eyes. He was handsome, but he carried a sadness in his eyes that was undeniable. There was something else there, too, but I couldn't tell at first.

Then he spoke. "Who's the white chick?"

Ahhh…he's a jerk! That's what his eyes were screaming. Knowing that he still suffered from the loss of his parents, I put on my best smile, and introduced myself. Though I couldn't help the Jersey attitude that slipped out: "The white chick's name is Stephanie. Nice to meet you." I put my hand out for him to shake, but he just stared at me. Carlos and his entire family seemed stunned by his boorish behavior, and no one said anything at first. Maria was the first to regain her wits and said, "Lunch will be ready shortly. Celia, Veronica, girls, will you help me finish up?"

Carlos' sisters all headed for the kitchen. Les came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me, earning a small growl from Carlos before saying, "How has your visit home been so far, Beautiful? Did you talk to your mom about the scholarship stuff?"

I sighed and then turned into his hug before saying, "Yeah. She admitted screwing it all up for me, but she did shock me by apologizing. It's still a little tense, but I think we'll get through it."

"Good, I'm really glad to hear it. Family is important, and it does no good to fight with them." I nodded in agreement before glancing at Alex, who had moved to sit in the recliner in the corner by the Christmas tree. He had a look of pure torture on his face and I felt sorry for him.

"So, Alex, how long are you staying?" Carlos asked.

Alex looked up at him and said, "Huh? Oh, I'm not sure yet. I'm working on a big project and I might need to head back early to finish it up."

I couldn't help but feel Les's shoulders slump beside me. I know he had hoped this would be a good opportunity to reconnect with his brother, and if he left early, that wouldn't happen. Before anyone else could speak, Abuela Rosa came back into the room and asked the boys to help her set the table. I loved that the whole family got involved in preparing for a meal.

We all headed to the dining room to set the table, and then Maria and the girls came in carrying dishes that, if possible, smelled even better than the other meals I had eaten with them. Their dining table was huge, with two leaves in it and a bench on one side, and we were all able to squeeze in together. Ricardo offered the blessing, everyone dug into their plates filled with food, and the conversation started flowing.

Lester described taking the ASVAB earlier this week; he was pleased with how well he felt he did. As he talked about his plans to join the Army the following summer, he showed a child-like excitement, which I loved. When Ricardo said, "Your Mama and Papa would be so very proud of you, Lester," Alex excused himself from the table. Lester's shoulders slumped, and he instantly lost the twinkle from his eye as he focused on his plate.

Alex had been gone from the table for a short while when I excused myself to use the bathroom. As I walked down the hall, I couldn't help but overhear Alex speaking to someone on the phone. He had tucked himself into a back corner, and even though I could only hear his half of the conversation, I didn't like what I was hearing: he was going to leave.

"I just can't do it, Mari…I know, but every time I look at him, I see Papa. And looking at Celia is like staring at a slightly younger version of Mama. It's pure torture! …No, no I haven't…I know, but what right do I have to say anything? I walked away...I know…No. It's better for him if I just come back to Colorado, and then he doesn't have to even think about me...I took them from him, Mari. It's all my fault."

At that point, a sneeze snuck up on me and I couldn't hold back my extremely loud "Ahhh CHOOO!"

I heard his cellphone snap shut, and Alex rounded the corner quickly with a look of pure rage on his face. "You were spying on me?"

"No, I needed to use the bathroom, but I didn't want to interrupt you. I'm so sorry."

"What did you hear?"

"Just that you're leaving."

He seemed to think for a minute, and then said, "Yeah. It's for the best."

"Best for who? Because it certainly isn't what's best for Lester."

That made him angry. "And who are you to know what's best for my brother?"

"I'm his friend. And I know that he was _so_ excited about spending Christmas with you, so you leaving right away _isn't_ what's best for him."

"You don't know anything about anything."

"I know you blame yourself for your parents' death."

He sucked in a breath, allowing me to see how furious he was that I was claiming to know him, when I had only just met him. He got in my face before speaking in a low, hard voice, saying, "You don't know me, or a damn thing about me."

Acting much braver than I felt, I stayed toe-to-toe with him and said, "I know more than you may think. I heard you say you took them from him, and you don't think it's fair for you to be here when your parents aren't. But the truth is, you're selfish."

"Selfish?"

"Yes. You're hurting, rightly so. But nothing that happened the night of the accident is your fault. What you did to Lester _after_ the accident is, though."

"What do you mean 'what I did to Les after'? What are you talking about?"

"You took away the only immediate family he had left. Your parents' accident was just that, an accident. It wasn't your fault. But walking away from Les when he was only ten years old was horrible. It was hard enough for him to understand what happened with his parents. He still doesn't understand why he lost you."

"He didn't lose me, I'm right here."

"No you aren't. You aren't right here. You're ready to walk away after spending less than 24 hours with him. And he's going to be joining the Army officially in less than six months. He's going to boot camp and then he's going to be a trained soldier. And what happens if he gets killed? He's going to die thinking you don't love him enough to be there for him."

"I don't want to lose him too," Alex whispered, the angry being replaced by remorse and fear.

"Then where have you been for the last ten years? He _needs_ your support. If you're afraid for him, _tell_ him. If you love him, which I'm sure you do, you have to _tell_ him. Don't leave him guessing. You're already beating yourself up for not letting someone you loved know it before losing them: don't make the same mistake twice!"

Alex didn't say anything for what seemed like forever, and then he nodded and walked away. I stood frozen in fear wondering if I had made a huge mistake. I didn't know Alex from Adam, and here I was preaching to him about what he needed to do to fix his relationship with his brother, when just days ago I was determined never to speak to my mother again. As I stood there, I noticed Lester and Alex walk past me toward the front porch. I felt my stomach churn and my bladder scream at me, and I remembered that I had initially left the table to go to the bathroom.

After answering nature's call, I headed back to the dining room. Les and Alex were still missing, but everyone else was enjoying their meal and conversation. Carlos smiled at me and asked, "Everything ok, Babe?"

I nodded, unsure of the truth. We had all finished eating and the table had been cleared, except for Alex and Les's plates. My nosiness got the better of me, so I went and took a quick peek out the front window. Sitting on the front step, Alex and Lester were locked in an embrace. I swallowed hard, fearing that my advice had done no good, and then quickly headed to the living room to join Carlos.

Five minutes later, Lester and Alex rejoined the family, and Les had a huge smile on his face. Abuela Rosa had tears of joy in her eyes as she watched the two of them, and I couldn't hold back my own smile. When my eyes locked with Alex's, he smiled and gave me a small nod. I happily took that as a "thank you".

The Manoso and Santos clan spent the next hour or so passing gifts, opening them one at a time. The gifts were beautiful and truly heartfelt, and I loved watching the expressions on each family member's face as they opened their gifts. Maria gave me a little bottle of bubble bath, which I thought was incredibly sweet of her, and I gave Maria and Ricardo a bottle of wine that my mother suggested I bring. With all of the gifts open, Carlos and I headed upstairs to his room to share our gifts with each other privately.

We stepped into Carlos' room and he pulled me to him, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I melted into his embrace, and then kissed his neck. He shifted his head and caught my lips in a tender kiss, then we moved to his bed to exchange our gifts. I got him a new pair of sunglasses that I was sure would get much use in Miami. They were Oakleys, and he looked even more gorgeous than normal in them. I also got him a nice waterproof watch. Les had mentioned how much Carlos loved the ocean, and I hoped he would like that I did a little "outside research" on him. He smiled when he opened it before saying, "It's perfect, Babe."

Carlos got me the softest, most beautiful cashmere sweater I'd ever seen. It was a brilliant blue, and as I opened it he said, "The second I saw it I thought of your eyes, and knew it would be perfect!"

I lifted it out of the box and pulled it close to my chest before leaning in to kiss him. "It's gorgeous, Carlos; thank you so much!"

After devoting some more time to what was becoming our favorite pastime—kissing—Carlos and I headed downstairs to rejoin his family. I had gifts for Abuela Rosa and Lester, but I hadn't gotten anything for Carlos' siblings and didn't want to be rude, so I decided to hold their gifts for a more private time. I was so happy to see Alex and Lester sitting on the couch beside each other, laughing and talking. Across their laps was a family photo album. When Les noticed I had walked into the room, he smiled and said, "Come 'ere, Beautiful. You gotta see this."

I took the open seat on the other side of Lester and was treated to childhood pictures of Les and Carlos, as well as the rest of Carlos' family. There were pictures of them in the sandbox, pictures of the entire family at the ocean, and my favorite, a picture of Les and Carlos side-by-side on Halloween. Lester was dressed as Superman, and I couldn't help but laugh, considering I had recently tried unsuccessfully to get him to dress as a superhero, while in the picture he seemed only too happy to be one. Carlos was dressed as Batman. With his dark hair and dark eyes, he truly made the perfect Dark Knight.

Les spent at least 30 minutes detailing the events occurring in the pictures, telling me who each person was, where they were, and what they were doing. It was fun to see him so happy. The last picture brought tears to his and Alex's eyes, and I won't deny I felt some myself. The large picture on the page was a picture of Lester's family at what had to be Alex's high school graduation. He was standing there in his cap and gown, looking much younger and much happier than he did when I met him earlier today. On his right was his mother, who truly did look extremely similar to Celia; on his left was his father, who definitely looked like an older version of Lester. And standing in front of Alex was Les, with a baby face and the innocent smile that I catch glimpses of occasionally. After staring at the page for a long time, Les cleared his throat and explained, "These are my parents". I nodded, hoping he knew he didn't have to continue.

Ricardo took the opportunity the silence provided to speak, saying, "They were both so proud of you that day, Alex. They loved you very much. Both of you."

I noticed both Alex and Les nod out of the corner of my eye. When Alex started to cry audibly, Les pulled him into a tight embrace, and a now teary Ricardo quickly surrounded them. Carlos took my hand, pulling me off of the couch and out of the room so they could have a moment of privacy.

When we were in the foyer and out of earshot, Carlos pulled me to him and said, "I know you said something to Alex earlier." I nodded against his chest, and he continued, saying, "I don't know what you said, but thank you. I thought for sure he was going to leave, but the fact that he's still here means whatever you said got through to him. I can't thank you enough, Babe."

"I was just standing up for my friend. I knew Alex's leaving would devastate him, and I made sure he knew it too."

Carlos nodded and then squeezed me tighter. I glanced up and noticed there was a sprig of mistletoe hanging above us. I giggled, catching Carlos' attention. I moved my eyes up again, making him look up. He noticed the mistletoe and then returned his gaze to me, before capturing me in a bone-crushing kiss. My last coherent thought for several minutes was simply, "Merry Christmas, Stephanie!"

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? **

**Amy**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

_Previously:_

_Carlos nodded and then squeezed me tighter. I glanced up and noticed there was a sprig of mistletoe hanging above us. I giggled, catching Carlos' attention. I moved my eyes up again, making him look up. He noticed the mistletoe and then returned his gaze to me, before capturing me in a bone-crushing kiss. My last coherent thought for several minutes was simply, "Merry Christmas, Stephanie!"_

**Ch. 18**

**Alex's POV**

As I hugged my long-time girlfriend Mari goodbye at the airport, I couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. I knew she was hoping for a proposal this Christmas. We had been together for nearly four years, but I still hadn't worked up the nerve to ask her to marry me. I knew my logic was flawed, but I was afraid to let myself fully love her and then lose her. Of course, if I don't make a move soon, it's possible I'll lose her anyway, but I just couldn't make myself ask.

She offered me a warm smile—the same warm smile that made me fall in love with her—as they called my section of the plane to board. With one last gentle kiss, I wished her Merry Christmas before grabbing my bag and heading toward the plane.

The flight from Colorado to Newark was long, but in truth, not long enough. I don't know why I agreed to go to Jersey for Christmas. I hadn't spent a significant amount of time with Les, Abuela Rosa, or any of my family in a very long time, and I wasn't sure how I would manage to keep my sanity this trip.

I still have so much anger. Anger with myself for my fight with Papa the night he and Mama died, anger at them for dying before I could apologize, anger with myself for taking them from Lester who was only ten years old, when he needed them. Just…anger.

When I landed in Newark, I took a deep, steadying breath and gave myself a little pep talk. "I can do this!" As I exited the ramp and saw Tio Ricardo and Lester waiting for me across from the gate, I swallowed hard. Lester looks just like Papa, only younger. Maybe I _can't_ do this.

The ride from the airport to Tio Ricardo and Tia Maria's house was quick, and filled with Lester filling me in on school. He mentioned a girl named Stephanie, but at that point I was only half listening. Instead I was chanting to myself, "I can do this, I can do this, I can do this" over and over. Problem was, I didn't believe it. I couldn't do this. I didn't know what I was thinking. Before I could dissolve into a full-blown panic attack, we pulled up to the house. On the porch stood Tia Maria and Abuela Rosa. A sad smile crossed my face: Mama and Abuela used to do the same thing at our house in Miami. How they knew exactly when someone was arriving, I'll never understand.

I had barely gotten two steps out of the car when Celia burst out the door and flew down the steps to wrap me in a hug. I nearly stumbled at the sight of her—she looked almost exactly like Mama. That settled it. This was going to be pure torture.

After taking my bags upstairs and dropping them in Carlos' room, I took another steadying breath and started back downstairs. Before I could get that far, Abuela Rosa popped out of Tio Ricardo's bedroom and asked me to join her for a minute.

I obliged and followed her into the room, joining her on the cedar chest at the foot of the bed. Abuela gave me a long, hard look and then pulled me into what seemed like a never-ending hug. I fought not to cry. I had missed this woman with every ounce of my being. She was my escape when Mama and Papa weren't being fair, or when I needed a break from being the older brother and wanted some attention. I finally gave in and rested my head on her shoulder.

When we finally pulled away, she said, "I have missed you so much, mijo. I'm so glad you have finally come home."

"I've missed you too, Abuela."

"Is it too much to hope that you will make this more of a habit?"

I sighed. I'd known this was coming, but I also knew I couldn't lie to her. "I'm not sure, Abuela. Let's just take it one visit at a time, ok?"

"No."

"No?"

"No, that isn't ok. I've missed you. Lester, he has missed you more than any person has ever missed another. I can't accept one visit at a time. I need you around more than that."

I didn't know what to say. "I'll try."

"Tell me what keeps you away."

"Honestly? Guilt."

"Guilt over what?"

"I don't really want to go into it, Abuela. Just know that I'm trying to work on the guilt so that I can face you all without it eating me alive."

She stared at me, as if trying to look into my soul with her eyes. Seeing something, she nodded. She took my hand and said, "Let's go join our family. I'm sure you have a lot to tell us of your last ten years."

We went downstairs and spent the rest of the day eating and talking. I can't tell you what the majority of the conversations were about, because I found myself tuning out and slipping into the past and all the memories it held. I did manage to tell them all about Mari and how close we were. As Tia Maria encouraged me to take the next step with Mari, I noticed a spark in Abuela's eyes. I told Tia Maria I wasn't ready yet, but Abuela kept her gaze on me. I wonder what she's up to?

That night we headed to midnight mass as a family. The guilt that ate at me as I sat in the church listening to the priest was horrendous. I sent up a silent prayer that Mama and Papa would help me get through the next day, but I assumed my prayer would go unanswered. After all, I couldn't even remember the last time I had been in a church for something other than a funeral.

By the time I went to bed that night, I had a knot in my stomach the size of a watermelon. I had talked to Mari briefly, but I really just wanted to hold her. As I lay in bed that night trying to fall asleep, my mind's eye was filled with images of happier times. What I wouldn't give to wake up and have those times back.

After a horrible night's sleep, filled with nightmares of my parents' death—with me there watching and unable to stop it—I awoke angry. This was not the first time I'd had nightmares about their death, but this was the first time I'd had them and then had to face Les.

I dragged myself out of bed and trudged down the stairs in desperate need of a cup of coffee. When I walked into the kitchen, there was Les with a happy smile on his face. As he wished me "Good afternoon", I was instantly transported back to my childhood home. Anytime we woke up after 8 a.m., we were greeted with a "Good afternoon" from Papa. He was always awake at 5 a.m., no matter how late he went to bed. I hadn't had anyone tease me about how late I slept in since the day I left for college, so long ago, and even though I knew Les didn't mean anything by it, it still cut me to the quick.

I gave a curt nod and whispered "Good morning" as I poured myself a cup of coffee. Grabbing a pancake off the stack sitting on the counter, I ate it dry as I headed back upstairs to dress for the day. I was not feeling very festive, but I knew it was Christmas and my family expected me to participate. We were waiting until Carlos' girlfriend arrived, and then we would have lunch and exchange gifts.

I ambled back down the stairs just after 10 a.m., showered, shaved, and ready to force myself through the day. While I was scheduled to stay through New Year's, I was definitely contemplating calling the airline to find out if I could escape from Jersey on an earlier flight.

I'm normally not a rude person—in fact, I'm usually quite talkative—but I just couldn't seem to answer questions from my family this morning with more than one or two words at a time.

"How did you sleep, mijo?" Tio Ricardo asked.

"Fine."

"Were you able to talk to Mari yesterday?"

"Yes."

"What is she doing for Christmas?" Tia Maria asked.

"Visiting her family in Utah."

I noticed the glances around the room, and I felt the tension, but I wasn't able to loosen up.

"So, cuz, how's the construction business?" Carlos asked. He had not been around much of the day yesterday, so we really hadn't had a chance to talk.

"Good. Busy."

"Do you enjoy your job?" Tia Maria asked.

"As much as anyone enjoys working."

About that time, Carlos excused himself from the living room and headed outside. My family made small talk amongst themselves, but I wasn't listening. I couldn't seem to escape the fog that was encompassing me.

A few moments later, Carlos entered the room with a pretty white girl. She had crazy, curly brown hair and bright blue eyes with a smile that seemed to light up the house. She greeted my family with hugs, and then cast her appraising glance at me. Before my brain could stop my mouth, out popped, "Who's the white chick?"

Something flashed in her eyes. No doubt she was assuming I was the biggest jerk around, and at that moment, she was right. With some sass, she offered back, "The white chick's name is Stephanie. Nice to meet you." She extended her hand but I was lost in her eyes for the moment and ignored it. She reminded me a lot of my Mari—not in looks, but in attitude. Mari isn't afraid to push back when challenged, and she always lets me know when I'm out of line. I had a feeling these two would get along beautifully.

Just as I was realizing what a jerk I was being, Tia Maria called the girls to the kitchen for help.

I watched Stephanie interact with my brother and Carlos, and as Lester wrapped his arms around her my possessive cousin gave a growl. I was only half listening to their conversation, but as I moved to the recliner I heard Les say, "Good, I'm really glad to hear it. Family is important, and it does no good to fight with them." I couldn't help but be launched back in time to the argument I had had with Papa just before their accident. What good had my fighting done? It had left me tortured for years, nothing more.

I caught Stephanie staring at me just before Carlos asked, "So, Alex, how long are you staying?"

"Huh?" This was my chance. "Oh, I'm not sure yet. I'm working on a big project and I might need to head back early to finish it up." I noticed the instant slump in Les's shoulders and I felt bad, but it wasn't going to change my mind.

Abuela Rosa came in to help us set the table, so I was able to avoid any more conversation about leaving. After we were seated and eating our lunch, Les started talking about his ASVABs and joining the Army. I felt the knot in my stomach growing. What if he went to war and was killed? I'd kept myself distanced from him because of guilt, and now it might be too late to change things. If he died, would he know how much I love him?

When I zoned back in to the conversation, I heard Tio Ricardo say, "Your Mama and Papa would be so very proud of you, Lester." I couldn't sit there any longer. I excused myself from the table and walked down the hallway to try to catch my breath. I felt like I was suffocating. I needed to talk to Mari; better yet, I needed to hold her in my arms and breathe in her scent, but talking would have to do for now.

I pulled out my cell phone and dialed her number, waiting impatiently through two rings before she picked up with "Merry Christmas, sweetie!"

"Merry Christmas, Mari." I breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing her voice, but she knew something was off.

"You ok?" I could hear her concern.

"I just can't do it, Mari."

"I know it's tough on you, Alex, but you said you wanted to spend some time with Les."

"I know, but every time I look at him, I see Papa. And looking at Celia is like staring at a slightly younger version of Mama. It's pure torture!"

"Oh, Baby. I know it must be awful for you. Have you talked to Les about coming out to Colorado? You said you wanted to try to spend some one-on-one time with him, away from the rest of the family."

"No, no I haven't."

"Alex, his break is only so long. I thought you wanted to talk to him about his decision to join the Army. I know you're scared for him, but you need to tell him. If you are as set on changing his mind as you were when you left, then you need to do or say something."

"I know, but what right do I have to say anything? I walked away."

"You walked away because that's what was best for you. It's not like it was easy."

"I know."

"You didn't do it to hurt him. Talk to him, Alex."

"No. It's better for him if I just go back to Colorado, and then he doesn't have to even think about me."

"Alex, he's going to think about you no matter what. You're his brother. He loves you, I know he doesn't blame you."

"I took them from him, Mari. It's all my fault."

"No…" Whatever Mari said next was lost, my attention diverted by a loud sneeze coming from just around the corner. I didn't even say goodbye before I snapped my phone shut and rushed to see who it was, anger written all over my face at whoever was eavesdropping.

"You were spying on me?" I asked Stephanie, who was staring wide-eyed at me.

We launched into a conversation—ok, more like an argument—and this feisty girl proceeded to tell me what she thought I needed to know about my brother. I argued back, but in truth, I was in awe that she stood up to me. I am nearly a foot taller and have at least a hundred pounds on her, but that didn't intimidate her. She is definitely as feisty as my Mari, and is no doubt a perfect match for Carlos.

I stared in amazement at Stephanie as she begged me not to repeat my mistakes. How could this girl know so much about me when I'd just met her? So much about Les? I knew she was right: I needed to talk to Les. I finally walked away from her without saying a word and headed back into the dining room.

"Hey, Les. Can I talk to you a minute?"

He gave me a sad look, but nodded and followed me outside to the front porch. I took a moment to gather my thoughts, but before I could speak, he said, "You're leaving, aren't you?" I could see pain and defeat written all over his face.

"I was going to," I admitted with a nod.

"Was? Does that mean you aren't?"

"No. I'm going to stay."

"What changed your mind?" Les asked.

"Your friend." I stifled a laugh as he raised one eyebrow at me. I remember when he was nine and would stand in front of the bathroom mirror practicing that for hours.

Taking the eyebrow quirk as a "What do you mean?" question, I answered. "She helped me remove my head from my ass. Showed me that I'm not the only one hurting from losing Mama and Papa, and that it would be best for _both_ of us if I stayed so we could work on some things."

"She's a great friend," Les whispered with his head down. I could tell he was really grateful to Stephanie.

"She is." I paused, knowing I needed to start the ball rolling on telling him what I was feeling, but unsure how to start.

Before I could, Les spoke. "I've missed you, Alex."

I pulled him into an embrace and whispered, "I've missed you too, Les. More than you know. And I'm so sorry."

We hugged for a long time before he pulled back. "What are you sorry about, Alex?"

"Everything. I'm sorry about Mama and Papa, sorry about leaving right after they died, sorry about staying away so long and not being there for you. I'm just so sorry."

"I'm sorry too."

"What are you sorry about, Les?"

He bowed his head and said, "Everything." Before I could ask him to elaborate he said, "Man, we better get back inside. You're sure you're staying, right?"

I stood up and said, "Yeah. I'm sure. But hey, before we head back in, I was wondering if you'd consider flying back to Colorado with me after New Year's? Mari would love to meet you, and I think it would be great for us to have some one-on-one time. What do you think?"

Les smiled and pulled me into another tight hug. "That would be great, Alex."

When we walked back inside, I noticed Stephanie sitting with Carlos. I gave her a small nod, hoping she knew I was trying to say "Thank you", before joining Les on the floor to pass presents.

Once everyone was finished opening their gifts, Les and I moved up to the couch and started talking about things we used to do as an extended family—the Santos and Manoso clans, as we called ourselves. We had shared a couple of stories when Tio Ricardo pulled down a photo album. Just as we started looking through it, Carlos and Stephanie came back into the living room. Les called Steph over so she could look at the pictures with us.

We spent a lot of time laughing at ourselves as children, and at the clothing of the late 80s and early 90s. Thank goodness parachute pants went out of style! I was practically in tears laughing at the pictures, when Les flipped the page and we all instantly sobered. The next photo was of my high school graduation—one of the happiest days of my life.

We sat there staring at the picture for the longest time, unable to say anything. Finally, Les began quietly, "These are my parents."

I saw Stephanie nod in acknowledgement, but she didn't say anything.

Tio Ricardo said, "They were both so proud of you that day, Alex. They loved you very much. Both of you." I nodded, fighting desperately to keep the tears at bay, but suddenly the dam broke, and with it an audible sob escaped my lips. Les instantly wrapped his arms around me, and Tio Ricardo came over and pulled us both into his arms.

I'm not sure how long we sat there crying together, with Tio Ricardo whispering to us how much our parents loved us, but when I looked up the room was empty. My uncle excused himself to give Les and me a moment to gather ourselves, but Les just sat there looking completely lost.

"What is it, Les?"

"Nothing."

"I don't buy it. What's up?"

"I'm so sorry."

"For what?" I asked, completely confused.

"Mama and Papa."

"Me too, Les. Me too."

"No, you don't understand. It's all my fault they died."

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? **

**Amy**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

**Tiny SMUT warning, and possible tissues necessary. **

_Previously:_

"_I'm so sorry."_

"_For what?" I asked completely confused._

"_Mama and Papa."_

"_Me too, Les. Me too."_

"_No, you don't understand. It is all my fault they died."_

**Ch. 19**

**Les's POV**

I sat there staring at the picture of Mama and Papa with Alex and me at Alex's graduation. I felt the lump forming in my throat and was barely able to squeak out, "These are my parents" to Stephanie.

When Tio Ricardo said, "They were both so proud of you that day, Alex. They loved you very much...both of you," I almost lost it. But then Alex started sobbing and I couldn't hold back any more. I wrapped my arms around him and cried into his neck.

I don't know how long the three of us sat there with our arms around each other, letting our emotions pour out. Eventually, Tio Ricardo left to give us some privacy, and I sat there completely lost in the past.

I was ten years old. Papa had been arguing with Alex on the phone about coming home for Thanksgiving. Apparently my brother had a new girlfriend he wanted to spend the holiday with, and Papa wasn't very happy about it. I sat on the stairs around the corner from the kitchen, listening to Mama and Papa talking.

"Eduardo, he is 18 and he's in love. We can't dictate to him."

"I know, Teresa, but I want him home. Our family has always been together for Thanksgiving before."

"Eduardo, I know it's hard for you not to be with our son, but you have to think back to when you and I were 18. We didn't go home for Thanksgiving, either." I could hear the smile in Mama's voice and I wondered what she was talking about. I heard them kissing and I wanted to gag.

"You're right; I'll call Alex back later and apologize for yelling at him."

"Thank you. Now, we haven't answered Lester yet."

"Remind me, Teresa. What do we owe him an answer about?"

"He wants to go to Luis' house for a sleepover."

"Teresa, Luis lives 20 minutes away and it's raining. Does it have to be tonight?"

"Well, tonight is the night he's invited. We haven't had a night alone for a very, very long time, mi marido." Mama started kissing him again, and again I wanted to gag. I decided to break up the kissing.

I rushed into the kitchen to plead my case. "Please, Papa! Please!"

Papa looked at me long and hard and then nodded his head. I smiled as big as I could and ran up the stairs to pack my bag and call Luis. Thirty minutes later, I waved from Luis' porch to Mama and Papa as they pulled out of the driveway.

Luis and I played for hours, but around bedtime I started not feeling well. His mama took my temperature after I started crying and found I had a slight fever. She suggested I would be fine to stay with just a little Tylenol, but I refused, and begged her to call my parents to come back and get me. It was nearing 9 p.m., and the rain hadn't let up.

They were on their way to pick me up when the accident occured. I never saw them again and I hadn't even kissed them goodbye.

I was pulled from my memories when Alex asked, "What is it, Les?"

"Nothing."

"I don't buy it. What's up?"

"I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Alex asked, looking completely confused.

"Mama and Papa."

"Me too, Les. Me too." Alex said, nodding sadly.

"No, you don't understand. It's all my fault they died."

Alex stared at me without speaking for so long I thought he wasn't going to. Finally, with a huge sigh, he said, "No, Les. It was my fault."

I didn't know what to say. How could he possibly think it was his fault? He wasn't even there.

"I had a huge argument with Papa on the phone that afternoon. I even told him I hated him. He must have been distracted because of our fight. I never even got to apologize."

"He wasn't mad at you." Alex's head popped up when I said that, his eyes begging for an explanation. "He and Mama talked about it after you got off the phone. He was going to call you that night to apologize for the fight and tell you he understood why you didn't want to come home."

I saw the tears forming in Alex's eyes at my words. He lowered his head and cleared his throat, obviously fighting to keep the tears from falling. "Thank you. I thought he died thinking I hated him."

"Come on, Alex. Mama and Papa knew better than that. You could never hate them and they could never hate you. They loved you."

He nodded, and then sat silent for a long time. After he finally got his emotions under control, he asked, "Why do you think it's your fault, Les?"

"I begged them to let me stay the night with Luis. Then when I got just a little bit sick, I made them come out late at night, in the pouring rain, across town to get me. They never made it. It's my fault." I couldn't stop my tears from falling.

Alex wrapped his arm around my shoulder as I sat there and cried. When my tears were dry he said, "We have both apparently spent a lot of time blaming ourselves for an accident that we had nothing to do with. I think Mama and Papa would want us to forgive ourselves."

I nodded. He was right. We finished our conversation and went to join the rest of the family.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Steph's POV**

Carlos and I were still standing under the mistletoe when Ricardo came out of the living room. I asked him how Les was, and he pulled us into the kitchen before speaking.

"He and Alex have blamed themselves for their parents' death for a very long time. I think they may finally open up to each other and realize neither one is to blame. At least, I hope so."

I nodded, unsure what to say. Carlos gave my shoulder a squeeze and whispered, "They'll be ok."

We stood in the kitchen in silence, just enjoying the feel of each other's arms, when Les and Alex joined us. They both looked like the world had been lifted off their shoulders.

Les broke the silence. "Now that we're finished being girls—no offense, Steph—what do you say we get this party started?"

I laughed—I couldn't help it. Les had the biggest smile on his face, and Alex's nearly matched it. I was so glad things had smoothed out for them. I looked at Les, "What did you have in mind?"

He thought for a moment and then asked, "You remember Thanksgiving?"

"Les, it's December in Jersey. It's way too cold for me to strike out Alex," I said with a grin, remembering the look on Carlos' face when I struck him out.

Les burst out laughing. Alex gave me a slightly confused look and said, "Not gonna happen, sweet thang."

I really didn't like his challenge. I gave Alex my best Burg glare and said, "Wanna bet?"

Les and Carlos looked back and forth between Alex and me, waiting to see who would back down first.

"What makes you so sure?" Alex asked, breaking the silence.

I glanced at Les and Carlos, hoping they wouldn't say anything about Thanksgiving. "What makes you so sure I can't?" I countered.

We resumed staring at each other and I had to fight not to roll my eyes at the situation. Finally Alex spoke, saying, "Give it your best shot."

Ricardo and Maria had joined us in the kitchen, and had silently watched the exchange. When I nodded at Alex, Maria giggled and said, "Ooh, I can't wait to watch!"

Considering I was definitely not dressed for playing softball, Maria whisked me up the stairs to borrow Celia's clothes, and to see if Veronica's cleats would fit me. After piecing together an outfit from a combination of Celia and Veronica's clothing, I grabbed my things and went into the hall bathroom to change.

I had my sweater off and had just slipped out of my dress pants when the door opened. I thought I had locked it, and nearly fell over trying to cover myself from whoever was coming in. Thankfully it was only Carlos. However, seeing me standing there in only a black, lacy bra and a matching thong, barely covering myself with a hand towel, his eyes instantly darkened. He shut the door behind him, turning the handle slightly as he locked it.

As he stalked toward me, he whispered, "The lock is tricky, Babe." He pulled me into his arms and I dropped the towel as I reached around him, pulling him closer to me. His lips met mine in a heated frenzy and he lifted me onto the counter. I gasped as the back of my legs touched the cold tile. I instantly forgot the coldness on my legs as he stepped in between them, and I could feel his erection pressing against my now wet center.

We continued the frenzied kiss as his hands ran up and down my sides, giving me goose bumps and causing me to shiver. Carlos pulled away from the kiss, and with his wolf grin asked, "Cold, Babe?"

"Far from it," I replied, as I pulled him back into the kiss. His left hand moved to my right breast and began to caress it. I moaned into the kiss and arched into his hand, begging for more.

As his left hand gave my breast attention, his right hand moved to my thigh and slid upward. He slipped his fingers into my panties, moving them to give him access, and growled, "God, Babe. I can't believe how wet you are!"

Before I could respond, he slipped two fingers inside of me, causing me to gasp. As his fingers worked in and out, Carlos moved his kiss down my neck and to the neglected breast. I couldn't help but moan at the attention he was giving my body. I felt like I was on fire, and just before I had my first-ever social orgasm, there was a knock on the door.

"Steph, how's everything fitting in there?" Celia called out.

Carlos gave a muffled laugh, his mouth still attached to my nipple.

"Everything seems to be fitting quite perfectly. I'll be out in just a minute."

"Ok. Everyone's waiting downstairs."

"Thanks," I replied.

With one last thrust of his fingers and suck on my nipple, Carlos reluctantly pulled back. He rested his forehead against mine, and said, "One day soon, Babe, we're going to have some privacy."

"God, I hope so," I replied fervently, with a smile and one last kiss.

I hopped off the counter and began quickly dressing, praying that everything did, in fact fit, and breathed a sigh of relief when I was fully dressed and ready to go. I had on a long-sleeved T-shirt from Celia with a sweatshirt over top. A pair of Veronica's lined wind-breaker pants were a tiny bit short, but fit better in the waist than Celia's would have—hers would have been the right length, but she's about two sizes bigger than I am in the waist. With Veronica's cleats and glove I was ready to go.

I peeked out the door to make sure no one would see Carlos exiting with me, before heading out into the hallway and downstairs. We all walked down the block toward the park. While it was definitely colder than Miami this time of year, it was actually pretty mild for Christmas Day in Jersey. A storm was predicted for just before New Year's, but for the time being the weather was manageable.

When we got to the field, Maria and Ricardo bundled up under a blanket on the bleachers. Carlos' sisters and brother headed out to the field to warm up. Apparently Veronica had told them all about my abilities, and after I was finished with Alex they wanted a turn. I spent some time warming up my arm with Les before getting ready to take the mound. Alex was stretching his arms and practicing swinging through. Judging by his swing this wasn't his first time at bat, but I could tell he was underestimating me by the look on his face.

Carlos jogged over to hand me a ball, and with a quick kiss on the cheek he whispered, "Go get 'em, Tiger."

I smiled at him and said, "Thanks, Batman!"

He barked out a laugh and gave me a humor-filled, "Babe!"

"Come on, you couldn't expect me to see that picture and not use it to my benefit. Besides, I've always been a huge fan of superheroes. You remember my Wonder Woman costume?"

He gave me his wolf grin and pulled me close. "Privacy, Babe. Soon!" He growled into my ear.

"Promises, promises," I whispered, taking the ball and smacking him on the butt.

I turned to face Alex with the smile still on my face. I had to hold in my laugh at his extremely serious expression. As I stepped on the pitching rubber, I took a deep breath, focused on Les's glove behind the plate, and let loose my first pitch.

Alex swung with all his might, and then peered behind him to see Les standing to throw the ball back to me. He whipped his head around with a shocked look. I smiled in return.

Alex re-squared himself in preparation for my next pitch. I had gone with a fastball on the first one, so with my second pitch I gripped the ball on my knuckles, and as my arm whipped around in the windmill, I flipped my wrist over just before releasing the ball. It curved and dropped over the plate as Alex's bat swung just above it.

I was rewarded with another look of shock. I debated momentarily as to what my third pitch should be. Would a change-up throw him off, or would he be expecting it? I decided on a fastball, but just above the knees along the inside corner. I let my arm fly into the windmill rotation and released the ball. Alex took a slight step back and swung.

Another miss. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at the look on his face, and the cheers coming from Ricardo and Maria, as well as all of Carlos' siblings. Les ran to me from behind home plate, picked me up, and swung me around, laughing.

"Awesome job, Beautiful! Alex played Varsity baseball all through high school and was on the State Championship team and MVP. I don't think he's ever struck out before."

I looked at Les in shock. A smile broke out on my face as I turned to see Alex still standing at home plate, shaking his head. Carlos joined us on the pitcher's mound, and gave me a chaste kiss on the lips and a whispered, "Good job, Babe."

Alex finally emerged from his stupor and walked over to us. "You're amazing. That was amazing! Do you play college ball?"

"Thanks," I said with a shy smile. "I don't yet, due to a family mix-up, but I'm going to talk to the Miami coach when we go back after Christmas, and see if they have any room on their team.

"Family mix-up is putting it mildly, Beautiful," Les added with a look of anger.

"It's ok, Les. Can't change it now, and I just want to move on. Ok?"

"Ok. I'll drop it."

"I appreciate it."

Angie ran in from the outfield shouting, "I'm next" before grabbing a helmet and a bat. I was glad that Veronica had her own helmet. I'm not sure I would have felt comfortable throwing all-out without it.

After each of Carlos' siblings gave their best effort to hit off me, I slowed my arm down and we played around. It was a lot of fun. I took a turn at bat, with Veronica pitching. I could tell she had been practicing some of the pitches I showed her at Thanksgiving, but I still managed to crack a few out to deep center and deep left.

As we headed back toward the Manoso house, Ricardo placed his arm over my shoulder and pulled me close. "Stephanie, you really are fantastic. I hope you're able to convince the coach in Miami to give you a shot."

"Thank you! I hope so too."

"And I'm so glad you came into our family. What you did for Alex and Les…I can't thank you enough."

"No thanks necessary. I just stood up for my friend, and helped Alex see how much Les loves him."

He gave my shoulders a squeeze, but didn't say anything else. When Carlos came up beside me and took my hand, Ricardo released me and turned his embrace to Maria.

When we were all in the house, Abuela Rosa asked, "So? How did it go?" She had elected to stay behind, saying her bones were too old to spend time outside during a Jersey winter.

"You should have seen it, Abuela. Steph's pitches blew past Alex. The look on his face…priceless," Antonio said. Everyone cracked up laughing, including Alex.

We all warmed up with a cup of cocoa and a game of spoons. Alex creamed us all, and I believe he felt somewhat redeemed from the softball game earlier. After spoons, we broke into groups to play cards. Carlos taught me how to play poker, though I had a hard time bluffing. I would have to work on my blank face. We played a variety of games late into the evening, telling stories and laughing. We stopped only to enjoy a mouth-watering dinner that I moaned my way through. I received pained looks from the males in the room, but I couldn't help it—the food was so good.

As it approached 10 p.m., I decided it was time to head home. Carlos offered to drive me, but since I had a car there, I told him it wasn't necessary. He kissed me passionately before loading me into the car. I could kiss that man for the rest of my life.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The rest of the week went by quickly. Carlos and I spent time together every day. He would come to Trenton, and even helped to pack up some of Grandma and Grandpa's house. And I would go to Newark to spend time with the Santos and Manoso clans. I had told Abuela Rosa of my grandparents' plans to relocate to Miami, and that they would be living down the street from her. She thought that was wonderful and couldn't wait to meet them.

Things between Steve and Val had remained slightly tense, but thankfully, Steve was called back to California for a work emergency, so they left early. I hoped being back in California would stop the cheating, but I knew that probably wouldn't be the case.

The bad thing about Val and Steve being gone was that my mother focused all of her attention on me. I could tell she was trying to be accepting of Carlos, but she would let certain things slip that came across as racist and rude. I would call her on it immediately, and she would always attempt to backtrack, but she wouldn't apologize.

Two days before New Year's Eve, Maria called the house to speak to my mother. I was upstairs at the time, and when I came down my Mom had a look on her face that I couldn't place. When I finally got her attention, she told me that Maria had called and invited all of us, Grandma and Grandpa included, to Newark for a New Year's Eve party at their home. Panic shot through me. What if my mother said some of the things she had said about Carlos in front of his family? It took me a few moments to regain my voice and ask, "What did you say?"

"Well, I accepted, of course."

Damn it!

"I'll talk to your father to be certain, but I assume we'll get a hotel room if possible. That will be a long drive if we have to make it after midnight."

I nodded and headed back upstairs, praying that this New Year's wouldn't be my first and last with Carlos.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? **

**Amy**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Thanks again so much to my WONDERFUL Beta, Anita (FanFictionAficionado). You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

**SMUT WARNING! **

_Previously:_

"_I'll talk to your father to be certain, but I assume we'll get a hotel room if possible. That will be a long drive if we have to make it after midnight."_

_I nodded and headed back upstairs, praying that this New Year's wouldn't be my first and last with Carlos._

**Ch. 20**

**Abuela Rosa's POV**

When I overheard Maria on the phone inviting Stephanie's parents for the New Year's Eve party, I developed a plan of my own. Alejandro and Lester had made such progress since Christmas: I could see the pain of the last ten years lifting from their shoulders. I wanted to do something nice for both of them, and to do so, I needed to be a little sneaky.

That afternoon, while Les and Alex were playing video games in the basement, I "borrowed" Alex's cellphone and made a call. It took me a little while to figure out how the darn thing worked, but once I had, my mission was easily accomplished.

"Hey sweetie! Two phone calls in one morning; to what do I owe the honor?" the young lady who answered the phone said.

"Is this Alex's love, Mari, speaking? I asked, to be sure I had worked the phone correctly.

"Yes. Who is this?" she asked sweetly.

"This is Alex's Abuela Rosa, mija."

"Rosa! Oh, Alex speaks of you so often. Hello! It's nice to finally speak to you."

"You are sweet, mija. Listen, I won't take much of your time, but we invited all of our family to our house for a New Year's Eve party. Alex has talked so much of missing you, and I know he would love it if you were here. Is there any way that is possible?"

Mari hesitated for a moment. "Well, I'm visiting my family right now, but I'm sure they would understand. They know about the distance Alex has kept from his family, and were happy to hear that he and his brother seem to be healing their relationship. I'll talk to them and see if it's possible to get a flight. It's rather late to be getting a decent fare, but I'll see what I can do."

"Wonderful, Mari! I hope you can arrange it. It would be _maravilloso_ to meet the woman who holds my Alex's heart."

"Thank you, Rosa."

I gave her the address and then disconnected. The way Alex had been speaking about his Mari the last few days, I knew he would be thrilled if she surprised him at the party.

The next part of my plan was much more emotional for me. I sat on my bed for a long time, holding the velvet box in my hand, tears flowing down my cheeks. When my Teresa died, I decided not to bury her with her wedding rings, because she had mentioned wanting to one day get a new set so she could pass the originals on to her boys. Unfortunately, she was never able to get her new set, but I could still pass the rings on.

I had decided to give the engagement ring— a single solitaire that measured about a carat, set in a white gold band—to Alex, to use when he proposed to Mari. While he said he wasn't sure if he was ready for that step, I knew it would come soon. He and Les would be leaving for Colorado two days after New Year's Eve, hopefully with Mari in tow. I wanted to give the ring to him before he went, so that when the time was right for his proposal, he'd have it.

The wedding band—a white gold band with a half-carat's worth of small diamonds set into it—I would save for Lester. He was still too young to consider marriage, especially with his military aspirations, but one day he will have that piece of his parents to share with the woman he loves.

Yes, this is exactly what my Teresa would have wanted for her boys.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Stephanie's POV**

New Year's Eve morning I was up early. Carlos would be coming to Trenton around noon to spend the day with me. We were going to Mary Lou and Lenny's for lunch and a mini-party they were hosting. It was serving as a stepping stone for the big New Year's Eve party the Stankovic's—Mary Lou's soon to be in-laws—usually host. We would leave their party no later than four to head back to Newark for the Manosos' party. Grandma and Grandpa were going to ride with Mom and Dad so they wouldn't have to drive home alone. There weren't any hotels available in Newark at the last minute, so they would have to make the drive home after midnight. I would cram into the back of Dad's Buick with them to get home, but on the way _to_ Newark, I was riding with Carlos.

Just the thought of Carlos made my cheeks red and parts of my body warm. I couldn't wait to be in Miami with him, where we wouldn't have all the interruptions we've had here in Jersey. I felt like I might be falling in love with him, and while we're still young and it's scary, I was excited! I'd never felt this way about anyone before. Sure, I had a crush on that _jerk_ Morelli, but the feelings I had for him didn't come close to what I was feeling for Carlos.

As I showered, I took care to shave and buff my skin to perfection. I also spent extra time moisturizing after my shower, just in case. I dried my hair and threw in some rollers in an attempt at manageable curls. While the curlers set, I applied my makeup. I didn't use much, just a little eye shadow, a couple coats of mascara and a swipe of lip-gloss. The curlers worked their magic, and I had long flowing curls that fell just past my shoulders. I couldn't have asked for a better hair day.

When I got downstairs just after nine, my mom was sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee, and my dad was on the other side reading his newspaper. I had never seen them this relaxed. Thankfully, they had saved me a couple of donuts, so I pulled up a chair at the table and joined them.

"Are you excited about the party tonight?" my mom asked me.

"Yes! The Manosos are really great people, and I'm excited for you to meet them. I'm also excited to see how Grandma and Grandpa hit it off with Abuela Rosa."

"You call her Abuela? She isn't your grandmother you know," my mother replied in a clipped tone.

"Yes, I know, Mom. But they've told me more than once I'm like family to them now."

"Like family? How could they possibly think you're like family? You've only been dating this boy for a short time."

"I don't know, Mom. Maybe you should ask them," and with that I stood up and left. I had the distinct feeling tonight was going to be a complete disaster.

XXXXXXXXX

**Frank's POV**

As Stephanie left the table, I could feel my blood pressure rising. How my wife couldn't see that our Stephanie was a wonderful young lady was beyond me. I wasn't surprised at all that the Manosos saw her as family. She'd always been so kind and accepting of anyone, no matter their faults. I was honored that they cared for her! I had a feeling I was going to like these people; I just needed to keep my wife in line that evening.

"Helen," I said sternly. When she glanced up at me with a startled look, I warned her, "If you ruin this party for Stephanie tonight…" I stood from the table, not finishing my thought. I figured it was time to let her sweat for a little while.

**Stephanie's POV**

I camped out in my room until noon, when Carlos arrived. When I heard a car door shut, I jumped from my bed to look out the window, then flew down the stairs to greet him. Thankfully, my mom was busy preparing lunch for my dad, so with a yelled "Bye!" I was out the door.

Carlos greeted me with a tight hug and a toe-curling kiss that had me practically purring.

"Hey, Babe. Don't you want me to come in?"

"No. My mother is in rare form…ok, not really rare form, I'd say back to her usual old self, and I really don't want to spend any more time with her than I have to."

"Fair enough, Babe. Let's go."

We headed to the Stankovic's house, which was on the edge of the Burg. Their home was almost a carbon copy of my parents' house, and it was nearly filled to capacity when we arrived.

"Steph…Carlos, so glad you could make it!" Mary Lou shouted, as we let ourselves in through the front door. She rushed across the room pulling me into a hug and whispering, "Is it just me or does Carlos get more gorgeous by the day?"

"It's not just you," I whispered, pulling out of the hug. "Where's Lenny?"

"Oh, he's in the kitchen with his brother Mark. They're continuing their never-ending debate over which is better, the plumber's union or the electrical union. I think Lenny's winning this time, though Mark has already had a few beers, so Lenny has a slight advantage." Mary Lou laughed and said, "Come on" as she took my hand and began pulling me toward the kitchen. I grabbed Carlos and dragged him along with us.

As we entered the kitchen, we were greeted warmly by Lenny and the Stankovics. I think Mrs. Stankovic's breath might have stopped momentarily when she saw Carlos' smile, but I'm not positive. I was too focused on continuing to breathe myself.

We spent four hours at the Stankovic's party, snacking on meat, cheese, shrimp cocktails, and veggies. All of the Stankovics and the many Burg guests seemed to like Carlos. They all played "20 questions" with him, but he took it like a champ.

As we drove back across the Burg, I told Carlos, "I think you might officially be a 'Burger by proxy' now." He smiled and squeezed my hand a little tighter. I glanced warily out the windshield. It had been snowing lightly earlier in the day, but as the day progressed, it came down harder. It seemed the storm the weatherman had predicted was finally making it to Jersey.

When we got back to my parents' house, they were loading their car. When they were ready, Carlos pulled out first so they could follow him to Newark. On the drive, we talked about the weeks coming up. Les had told us about his plan to go to Colorado with Alex for a while before the spring semester started. I was so happy for him. Carlos and I decided we would start driving back to Miami just after Les and Alex left. I needed time to unpack all my things in Bridget's apartment and talk to Coach Thompson, and Carlos wanted to get settled into his new digs and begin job hunting. Also, the elementary school where I was working would be back in session, so I could return to work early and earn a little extra money.

We pulled up in front of the Manosos' house at the same time as a Ford Escort with an Enterprise Rental Car sticker in the back window. We were curious as to who might be driving the car, but didn't have to wait long to find out. As a beautiful blonde stepped out, the front door flew open and Alex rushed down the stairs shouting, "Mari!"

We watched as he scooped her up in his arms, turned her in circles and gave her what had to have been a bone-melting kiss. My mother took that as her cue to come up behind me and ruin the moment by saying, "Well, my goodness, kissing like that in public? I can't imagine what their neighbors will think."

Carlos, my hero, replied, "Don't worry, the neighbors around here aren't nosy. And if they did notice, it wouldn't matter. We don't worry about what they think."

My mother was struck speechless. I hadn't witnessed _that _in a long time. By now, Mari and Alex had stopped kissing, but she was still wrapped in his arms. We walked over to them and were quickly introduced.

"Stephanie…Carlos, this is my girlfriend, Mari. Mari, this is my cousin Carlos and his girlfriend, Stephanie."

"It's so nice to meet you," I said extending my hand. Instead of shaking it, she used it to pull me into a hug.

"I can't thank you enough for what you did for Alex and Lester. I can tell a difference just in the way he's spoken to me on the phone the last few days. You helped them to heal, and I can't thank you enough!" I heard the emotion in her voice, and I stayed in the hug a little longer than normal to allow her to get control of herself.

"Carlos, it's nice to meet you. Alex has told me so much about you and your family," she said, letting go of me and pulling Carlos into a quick embrace.

"Mari, these are my parents, Frank and Helen Plum, and my grandparents, Harry and Edna Mazur." By now I was starting to shiver and the snow was falling harder, so we headed inside.

Maria, Ricardo, and Abuela Rosa had been watching from the front window, and were standing just past the foyer to greet us as we entered the house. Alex introduced Mari, and they exchanged pleasant greetings and hugs. I introduced my parents and grandparents to the group and they exchanged hellos…no hugs.

Maria led us into the living room, which was surprisingly devoid of the rest of Carlos' family. "The kids are all downstairs," Maria said, answering my unasked question. "Carlos, take Stephanie, Alex, and Mari downstairs while we adults get to know each other."

Carlos gave a quick nod and we headed downstairs, but not before my mother pegged me with a stare—which I completely ignored. In the basement, Alex led Mari directly to Lester for an introduction. She gave Les a big hug and I overheard her telling him how happy she was that he and Alex had reconnected.

**Maria's POV**

As I dismissed the children to go downstairs, I noticed the glare that Helen fixed on her beautiful young daughter. Carlos had confided in me the way Helen had treated Stephanie, and I wouldn't stand for it in my house. While I wouldn't directly confront her, I hoped to help open her eyes to the wonderful daughter she had raised.

"Helen, you must be so proud of Stephanie."

"Proud? Why?"

I had to bite my tongue to not berate this woman sitting on my couch. I didn't miss the look her husband gave her, and was hopeful that he would stand up for his daughter.

"Of course we're very proud of Stephanie," Frank said. "What I'm sure my wife meant was, what exactly are you referring to?"

"Your Stephanie has helped change our whole family." I could see the shock on their faces. I wasn't surprised that their modest daughter hadn't told them about what occurred here on Christmas Day. "Alex hadn't really been a part of our family for the last ten years, since he and Lester lost their parents. He blamed himself, which didn't make any sense, but there was no getting through to him. At least, not until your Stephanie spoke up. She kept him from leaving early and was able to get him to really talk to Lester. Alex and his brother are close again, and we feel like we have him back in our family. We owe it all to Stephanie."

"What did she say to him?" Frank asked with pride in his eyes.

"We don't know. It was a private conversation between the two of them. But whatever it was helped him to open up and talk to Les."

Frank's only response was a nod of the head. Helen hadn't said anything, which I was thankful for. If she had been snide, I wasn't sure if I could hold my tongue.

"And what a softball player!" Ricardo spoke up. The fact that this seemed to increase the tension in the room was not lost on me, or my husband, who cast a quick glance at me.

"She is quite the hurler, isn't she," Harry spoke up.

"And she sure is a heavy hitter. For a girl so small, I'm always surprised at how far the ball goes when she connects," Edna added. I had no doubt about the pride her grandparents had in her abilities.

"She struck our Carlos out at Thanksgiving, and Alex on Christmas. Both played baseball in high school and were quite the standouts. You should have seen their faces! They certainly underestimated her talent."

"She's played for a long time, and really seems to enjoy it, though I don't know why," Helen spoke up. I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand to remind myself of my manners.

"It's easy to love something you're so obviously good at. She has a real talent that should be encouraged." Not sabotaged, I wanted to add.

As if knowing what I was thinking but not saying, Ricardo put his hand on my knee and gave a gentle squeeze. I could sense he was working to control his temper as well.

"I hope she's able to convince the coach in Miami to give her a shot," Ricardo said.

Frank nodded his head and replied, "So do I." With the pointed look he gave his wife, I imagined Helen might not share that opinion.

After sitting in awkward silence for a moment, Rosa started chatting with Harry and Edna about Miami. It made me smile to think Rosa would have new friends close by. After listening to them and realizing how well they seemed to get along, I excused myself to the kitchen. I felt like it was time to bring out the wine and get the party started. Maybe if Helen relaxed a little bit, she would open up and have a good time. I checked on dinner before heading back into the living room with a bottle of wine and several glasses. The look of appreciation on Helen's face seemed to say it all.

**Stephanie's POV**

Alex and Mari were the most beautiful couple, and Alex seemed so happy to have her here. I hadn't seen them _not _touching since she stepped out of the car. The two of them and Lester were lost in conversation, and I was quickly losing focus due to Carlos' hand rubbing circles on my thigh. The heat from his hand was spreading to my unmentionable places and causing my cheeks to flush. Before I could get too distracted and straddle him in front of his brother and sisters, Maria yelled down that dinner was ready.

The younger kids barreled up the stairs, followed by Les, Mari and Alex. Carlos and I walked slowly up behind them, hand in hand. I know he was wishing for just a few moments of privacy, but the sound of my mother laughing stole those moments as I upped my pace to the dining room.

We gathered around the dining room table, shock registering on my face as I heard my mom laughing next to Ricardo. Of course, once I saw the glass of wine in her hand, I understood the laughter.

After quick introductions to my family, the younger kids went to eat in the kitchen, while the adults were seated at the dining room table. We were nearly through with Maria's delicious dinner when I noticed that my grandpa looked a little flushed. "Grandpa, you feeling ok?"

He gave me a long look before saying, "I'm alright…it's just a little warm in here."

Carlos stood up, went to my grandpa, and said, "Why don't you and I go out on the porch for some fresh air." I thought that was a good idea, plus if something happened to Grandpa and he collapsed, I knew Carlos would be strong enough to lift him. Grandpa nodded and the two of them walked out of the room.

Grandma spoke up, "We really appreciate the invite to the party and we've had a great time, but I'm afraid we might have to cut our night short. Harry has been a little extra tired lately."

I noticed that Mom and Dad both had a glass of wine in front of them, and I didn't think it was their first of the evening. I saw the look Mom gave to my Dad, and figured they were wondering how they would get home if Grandma and Grandpa took their car and left early.

A few minutes later, Carlos and Grandpa returned. Grandpa looked a little better, but I could see the exhaustion creeping in around his eyes. Before anyone else could say something, Maria spoke up. "Carlos, when you're finished eating, can you and Stephanie take Edna and Harry home?"

"What about us?" my mother spoke up.

"We would love it if you stayed and enjoyed the party. They won't be gone too long."

My dad placed his right hand on my mom's left and said, "We'd love to stay."

Carlos and I finished eating, and then loaded Grandma and Grandpa Mazur into his Bronco, which had 4-wheel drive. The snow had continued to fall, accumulating significantly since we'd arrived in Newark.

By the time we arrived in Trenton, the roads were even worse; Carlos navigated them slowly, getting us to Grandma and Grandpa's house safely. We walked them inside, keeping them from slipping on the icy sidewalk. After stepping through the front door, Grandma said, "Stephanie, I really don't think you should be back on the roads."

I gave Carlos a look and he nodded his agreement that the snow was too bad to return to Newark. He gave Grandma his parents' phone number and she dialed them immediately. After a quick conversation with my mother, Grandma hung up and turned to me. "Helen and Frank are going to stay the night in Newark at Carlos' house."

I had secretly been hoping all evening for some privacy, but had figured it wasn't going to happen tonight. Grandma continued, "So you two head on to your parents' house, Stephanie. I'm sure your mother has plenty of leftovers in the fridge if you need anything. Your grandpa will most likely turn in early, and after I get my Dick Clark fix, I'll head to bed too. If you need anything, you can call us and we'll do the same."

I was shocked! Before I could say anything, Grandma gave me a wink. I smiled at her, nodded my head, and with a quick kiss and hug goodbye to both of them, we drove the Bronco down the block to my house.

As we stepped in the front door, I took a moment to enjoy the quiet. Carlos wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck. This was what I had wanted more than anything, but I was still a little nervous.

As if sensing my nerves, Carlos spoke up. "You never had any dessert, Babe. Let's see if your mom has anything good."

I nodded and took his hand as we headed into the kitchen. Mom had made a chocolate cake—Valerie's favorite and my second favorite—for dessert the night Val left for California. I cut a large piece, poured two glasses of milk, and went to join Carlos at the kitchen table. He pulled me into his lap and we shared the cake between kisses.

Telling Carlos I would be right back, I rushed up the stairs. While I had a cute panty and bra set on, it wasn't the sexy outfit I had bought at Victoria's Secret with Mary Lou just yesterday. I slipped into my bedroom and quickly changed. Not wanting to prance around in the lacy, practically see-through red negligee and thong, I called downstairs for Carlos to come up.

When he walked into my bedroom, his eyes instantly darkened. He gave me his 200-watt smile and stalked over, pulling me into a passionate kiss, which grew more intense as we moved to the bed. Carlos slipped his shoes off, and broke the kiss only long enough to remove his shirt. My breath caught at the sight of him—he truly looked like a God!

He gently laid me back on the bed, continuing his assault on my mouth. After several minutes of kissing and caressing, his lips began moving down my neck. He slowly traveled along my jaw line and over to my ear, where he nibbled on my earlobe, causing my breath to catch and my heart to beat faster. He continued behind my ear and down my neck to where it meets my shoulder, drawing the skin in between his teeth. Thank God it was turtleneck weather, as I would definitely have a mark there tomorrow.

Gradually his kisses moved down to my breasts. He gently bit my nipple through the nightie, causing my back to arch, and pushing more of it into his mouth. He stopped for a moment to remove my negligee. As he lifted it over my head, our eyes locked. I framed his face with my hands and pulled him in for another kiss. He let his body rest on mine for a moment and I loved feeling his warmth and weight. I threaded my hands through his silky hair as we continued to kiss.

"You're so beautiful, Babe," he whispered. I smiled as he moved his head back down. He spent a great deal of time going back and forth between my breasts, while his hand was rubbing up and down my thigh. Eventually he began to move south.

I think he kissed every inch of skin between my chest and my center, including my navel, which caused a fresh rush of moisture to ruin my panties. His hands expertly removed my thong, and then blazed a trail back up my legs. The moment his mouth locked onto my wet center my brain turned to mush, and I had no control over the sounds of pleasure spilling from my mouth. I vaguely remember his hands holding me down on the bed as I arched into him repeatedly. When my pleasure reached its height and I began shaking with orgasm, I may have screamed loud enough for our neighbors to hear.

My body continued to tremble from release, and I'm not sure how much time passed. Gradually, Carlos kissed his way up my body before lying down on the bed next to me and pulling me into his arms. He placed kisses on my neck and hair as he held me and ran his hands up and down my back. Once I had control of my body movements again, I leaned up and kissed him back.

"Babe, I wasn't expecting this to happen tonight. I wish I was better prepared."

"What do you mean?"

I saw the disappointment in his eyes as he said, "I don't have a condom, Babe."

I smiled at him, silently thanking Val for taking me to the clinic just before Christmas. "I've only been with one person, Carlos, and I was tested after. I'm clean."

"I was tested after Aryanna, I'm clean too. But aren't you worried about getting pregnant?"

I shook my head and explained, "Valerie and I went to the free clinic just before Christmas and I got the birth control shot. They said it was effective immediately."

He gave me a brilliant smile and started kissing me again. I slowly undid his belt and helped him remove his pants. My eyes widened at the sight of him: I don't think he was even fully erect and he was huge! Definitely bigger than Morelli. I had a moment of panic wondering if it would even fit. He gave me a gentle kiss and whispered, "It'll fit, Babe." I swear his whole family had ESP!

As he nestled himself between my legs, we locked eyes and he asked, "You sure, Babe? We can stop if you aren't."

I leaned up to take his lips in a passionate kiss. "I'm sure," I said pulling back for just a moment before pulling him tighter.

Carlos' erection pressed against me. He searched my eyes once more to be certain, before slowly entering me. I felt a mixture of pain and pleasure as he gradually guided his huge erection into me. After several torturous minutes where he would push in a few inches and then retreat slightly, he was finally buried inside of me. He rested his forehead on mine, and I sighed in pleasure. "God, you feel so good, Babe."

"You feel way better than good, Carlos."

After giving my body a few minutes to adjust to his size, he started to slowly move in and out. It wasn't long before I couldn't restrain myself and I began meeting him thrust for thrust, our pace increasing as we got closer to release. Just when I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, Carlos reached his hand between us and with just two flicks of my clit, I flew over the edge, with him quickly following.

He rolled off of me, and pulled me close as we both caught our breath. I loved the feeling of his arms around me, and I nestled my head into the crook of his neck.

Wrapped in the warmth of his arms, I was barely holding onto consciousness. As I was drifting to sleep, I'm almost positive I heard Carlos whisper, "I love you, Babe."

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? **

**Amy**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

**SMUT WARNING! ;)**

_Previously:_

_He quickly rolled off of me, and pulled me close to hold me as we both caught our breath. I loved the feeling of his arms around me, and I nestled my head into the crook of his neck._

_I was barely holding onto consciousness, wrapped in the warmth of his arms. As I was drifting to sleep, I'm almost positive I heard Carlos whisper, "I love you, Babe."_

**Alex's POV**

I couldn't believe my Abuela Rosa had arranged it so that Mari would come and spend New Year's Eve with my family and me. I had wanted to invite her myself, but was wary of how the reconnection with Les might go. After Stephanie helped remove my head from my ass and I talked to Les, things had gone smoothly, and I was happy to have my family back. I had felt so alone all these years, without anyone to talk about it with…well, until I met Mari. She had tried desperately to show me that my parents' death wasn't my fault. And while a part of me believed her, I still hadn't been able to forgive myself until my talks with Stephanie and Lester.

Having her in my arms, in the basement of my tio's home, I couldn't imagine not having her in my life. Maybe my Tia Maria was right—maybe I should take that next step. I didn't want to lose her, and she had already been incredibly patient with me. As she laughed at Lester's retelling of Steph striking me out on Christmas Day, I squeezed her tighter. Her laughter made my heart feel lighter. Yes, I was definitely going to take that next step. I truly loved this woman!

**Maria's POV**

Well, I was right about one thing: getting a little wine into Helen had definitely helped her to loosen up a little. She was laughing at Ricardo's jokes and smiling, instead of scowling as she had when she arrived. And thankfully she was relaxed enough that she didn't put up much of a fight when Edna called to let her know that Stephanie and Carlos wouldn't be returning. When Ricardo suggested they spend the night here, I thought she and Frank would protest, but she only refilled her glass, smiled, and said, "Thank you".

I had been disappointed when Edna and Harry had to leave early, as Edna and Rosa really seemed to be getting along. I was so glad that Rosa would have a new friend in Miami to keep her company—she had been so lonely since Benjamin passed away. And Edna was a hoot: I could see where Stephanie got her spirit, although the light-hearted kindness seemed to have skipped a generation.

When the kids came upstairs about an hour before midnight, they put on music and we all decided to dance. I loved dancing with Ricardo; we did the salsa, the rumba, and then some slow dancing, holding each other close. I was surprised at first that Helen and Frank seemed to know how to salsa, but ultimately was just glad that they seemed to be enjoying themselves. I watched how Frank held Helen during a slow song, and could see that they loved each other, even if they didn't show it as openly as my family—without the encouragement of a little alcohol, that is.

As I glanced around the room, Alex and Mari caught my eye. Alex reminded me so much of his father, and the way he was holding Mari and looking into her eyes, I saw love similar to that between Ricardo and me, as well as the love his parents shared. I really hoped he would take the next step and make her a permanent part of our family.

**Alex's POV**

Mari and I loved to dance; in fact we often went dancing in Colorado. As I held Mari in my arms and looked into her eyes, I knew that I would never love another woman as much as I loved her. While these feelings were somewhat foreign, as I had never loved anyone like this before, I imagined this was similar to the love between my parents. If ever I was sure of anything growing up, it was that my parents truly loved each other.

My cousin Veronica was manning the CD player and had been playing a good variety of music. We had just finished a salsa when she put on a slow song. As "I Do" by 98 Degrees played through the living room, I held Mari tight. I couldn't help but think how true the lyrics were, and how right this felt. Without even fully thinking it through, I pulled Mari a little tighter, moved my lips to her ear, and whispered, "I love you. Will you marry me?"

She stopped dead, searching my eyes to see how serious I was. Seeing that I _was_ serious, she stepped out of my arms. "I need a little air. I'll be right back." And with that she turned, grabbed her coat from the rack at the end of the foyer, and ran out the front door. I looked around and noticed that all eyes were on me.

Too embarrassed to explain what had just happened, I shrugged my shoulders and went out to find her.

"You ok, Mari?"

She looked over her shoulder at me with tears in her eyes and nodded her head. Turning, she continued staring at the street without saying anything. I walked over to her and put my hands on her shoulders tentatively. She leaned into me, which I took as a good sign.

"I never thought you would ask me to marry you," Mari began after a long silence. "Hearing the words in there, I had a flash of panic. I have no idea why. I've wanted you to ask me that for the longest time."

I turned her to face me, and lifted her chin with my fingers until she was looking into my eyes. "I've been so afraid of losing you that I was afraid to commit. I know that logic is probably flawed, but it's how I felt."

"Felt?"

"Yes. Being away from you this past week, I finally realize that I want you in my life always. I love you more than anything. I want to be your husband and the father of our children. I want to make love to you every night, hold you in my arms as we sleep and wake up to those beautiful blue eyes every morning. I love you Mari. More than anything. I don't have a ring yet, but we can go pick one out together, or I can surprise you. But I want more than anything for you to be my wife."

I waited, holding my breath for what felt like hours but was only seconds, before Mari's face broke into the most beautiful smile and she said, "Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you, Alex!"

I swept her up in my arms and spun us both around, locked in a kiss.

**Abuela's POV**

I couldn't help but eavesdrop on my Alex and his Mari as they talked on the porch. I had a feeling about what was going to happen, and when I heard him profess his desire to be her husband, I slipped up the stairs with no doubt in my mind that her answer would be yes.

I pulled the velvet box out of my suitcase and headed back down to offer the ring to them. When I peeked out the front door window, I noticed they were holding tight to one another, and knew this meant she must have accepted. I opened the door, and both of them smiled at me with tears in their eyes.

"Abuela, Mari has agreed to marry me!" Alex said with the excitement of a child at Christmas.

"I confess, I was listening in when you asked her to marry you," I said with no regret in my tone. "I have something that I would like to give to both of you, and hope that you'll accept."

I shivered, and Alex quickly grabbed my elbow and led me back into the house. We avoided the living room, instead heading into the empty dining room.

"My Teresa, your mother, loved you and Les so very much, Alex. She had mentioned a desire to one day exchange new rings with Eduardo and give you and Lester her original set. I would like you to have her engagement ring to give to Mari. I have no doubts that this is exactly what Teresa would have wanted. She would be so happy for you, as I am."

Alex had tears in his eyes as he pulled me into a hug. "Gracias, Abuela."

I pulled out the velvet box and handed it to him. He lifted the lid and smiled, before turning and dropping to one knee and taking Mari's hand. She had the most beautiful expression on her face as he removed the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. It was a near-perfect fit. I beamed at the two of them, confident that this was a match made in Heaven.

**Maria's POV**

Alex and Mari had been gone a long time, and I was starting to worry. I glanced around the room and noticed that Rosa had disappeared as well. Before I could go looking for them, they all reentered the living room with huge smiles on their faces.

Veronica quickly shut the music off. Alex showed that brilliant smile that seems to run in the Manoso family and announced, "We're getting married!"

The room broke into cheers. Lester was the first to reach them and pulled them into a tight hug, followed by the rest of us. I was completely floored when Helen Plum also hugged them and offered her congratulations.

"I love planning parties if you need any help," she offered. I think we all stood stock still for a moment, unsure what to say.

Mari recovered first, saying, "Thank you for the offer. We'll let you know."

I heard Alex telling Lester about the ring, and I could see tears in Ricardo's eyes. He was so happy for his nephew.

**Stephanie's POV**

I woke wrapped in Carlos' arms, and couldn't help but smile. It was still dark outside, so I was in no hurry to get up. I slowly turned and saw Carlos' gorgeous, deep brown eyes staring back at me.

"Hey Babe."

"Hi," I said, smiling at him.

"You ok?"

"I'm perfect. You?"

"Couldn't be better." He kissed me on the nose and squeezed me tightly.

"Any idea what time it is?"

"Just past 11. Want to go watch the ball drop?"

"Sure. Let me grab you something more comfortable to wear than your jeans."

I stood up and quickly grabbed my robe, wrapping it around me. I know it was silly, as he had just seen me naked, but I still felt body-shy. I went into my parents' room and grabbed a pair of lounge pants out of my dad's dresser drawer. They weren't ideal, but would do in a pinch.

I took them to Carlos and then went into the bathroom to clean up a little. After pulling my now crazy hair into a messy bun on top of my head, I went back into my bedroom, where Carlos was waiting on the bed. I smiled at him, admiring his shirtless body. God, he was gorgeous!

"You're the gorgeous one, Babe."

I blushed. Damn, I hate it when I speak my thoughts out loud. Sensing my shyness, Carlos said, "I'll meet you downstairs" and then left me to dress.

I pulled on a pair of lounge pants and a ribbed tank top, sans bra, and headed downstairs to join him. He had the television tuned to the New Year's Eve countdown, and had found and popped a bag of popcorn. It was sitting on the coffee table along with two cans of Coke. Just before I sat down, the phone rang. I rushed to the kitchen to grab the cordless. "Hello?"

"Hey Steph, it's Les."

"Oh, hey Les. Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's great! Any chance I can talk to Carlos?"

"Sure. Hang on a sec." By now I was back in the living room. I handed the phone to Carlos, saying, "It's Les."

"Yo…Really? That's awesome, man. Tell them I said congrats…Seriously? Ha! Hopefully the snow lets up, but it looks like it's still coming down a lot. Ok, see you later." Carlos hung up the phone as I looked at him expectantly.

"Well?"

"Alex proposed to Mari."

"Really? That's fantastic!"

"Yeah, Les said the house is practically buzzing. Apparently your Mom even offered to help plan the wedding," Carlos said with a smile.

I stared at him for a moment before laughing out loud. "I guess she'll consider it practice until she can marry me off."

"As long as she plans to marry you off to me," Carlos said, and then looked at me to judge my reaction.

I looked at him and smiled before saying, "Someday."

We watched the television and the countdown to 2001. As we sat there and chatted we talked about all the wonderful things coming up this year and how amazing it was going to be. Mary Lou and Lenny were getting married, Alex and Mari were engaged, Carlos was moving to Miami to go to school with me, and Grandma and Grandpa were moving to Miami too. And while Val and Steve's relationship was still up in the air, she was having a baby no matter what and I would be an aunt. I couldn't imagine anything ruining what promised to be an amazing year.

As it got closer to midnight, Carlos and I scooted closer together on the couch. Dick Clark wasn't nearly entertaining enough to keep our attention, and soon we were slowly teasing each other into frustration. Carlos' hand was under my shirt, lavishing attention on my breasts, and eventually his magic hand wandered lower into my lounge pants. His kisses on my neck and behind my ear caused my breathing to become labored. My hand was slowly stroking his hard length, and I was silently wishing he would carry me back upstairs. Before I knew it, the crowd on the television was counting down from ten. Carlos punctuated each number with a kiss and a thrust of his fingers. By now, I was completely wet and wanted him badly.

As the television shouted "Happy New Year", Carlos ceased his finger movements, pulled his head back, and whispered, "Happy New Year, Babe", before planting a bone-melting kiss on me. I returned the kiss, pouring all the love and passion I felt for him into it. After several long moments, Carlos stood up from the couch and reached for my hand. I took it, turned off the TV and the lights, and then let him lead me back up to my room. As soon as the door shut, he turned to me, pulling me back into a toe-curling kiss.

Carlos lifted my shirt over my head and started planting kisses on my neck. I sat on the bed, with him standing in front of me, and helped to remove his pants. As I slid them down his muscular legs, his huge erection sprung free, making me gasp. While I had never done this before, I reached for his cock and pulled him closer so that I could lick the pre-cum off. A deep moan erupted from his chest as I took the head of his penis into my mouth, slowly sucking on it. I knew there was no way I could take his entire length, so I used one hand on the base, while using my other hand to massage his balls. I had no idea if I was doing it right, but as my head bobbed up and down on his length, he let out a growl, leading me to believe I was on the right track.

After a few minutes I could feel him start to tense, and his breathing became more labored. Moments later, he released into my mouth with a grunt and an "Oh God, Babe". I swallowed deeply, enjoying the look of pleasure on his face as he climaxed.

When I released him from my mouth, he fell to his knees, wrapped me in his arms and crushed my lips to his, tasting himself on my tongue as he ravaged my mouth. Pulling back from the kiss, he quickly removed my pants and laid me down on the bed. After helping me get situated on the pillows, he whispered "My turn" before lavishing kisses all over my body.

Starting at my ear, he teased my earlobe with his mouth. God, this drove me nuts! Moving down my neck, he sucked at the skin where my neck and shoulder met. If I didn't have a mark there before, I was certain I did now. His kisses moved slowly…slowly…slowly down to my breasts, where he took a nipple into his mouth, bringing it to a hard peak. I never realized my nipples were such an erogenous zone. He moved to the other nipple, and I whimpered as he gave it the same treatment. The kisses moved down my torso, and he dipped his tongue into my navel, causing my back to arch off the bed. By now I was moaning and thrashing, silently begging him to move lower. After nipping at one hip and then the other, he finally reached the wet folds that were begging for attention. He used his hands to separate my lower lips before slowly licking from the bottom of my opening to my clit, and then sucking it into his mouth. I gasped as he continued to suck my clit, and slipped first one and then another finger into my now soaking wet pussy.

Writhing under his constant attention, it didn't take long before my body was clamping down on his fingers and I was shaking in orgasm. He immediately slid up and slowly slipped his huge cock in me. We both moaned as he buried himself deep inside. After kissing me with an intensity I never knew was possible, he released my lips and stared deep into my eyes as he moved in and out. Looking back at him, I saw a depth of emotion I've never seen before. Unable to control the words coming out of my mouth, I said huskily, "I love you, Carlos."

His eyes lit up, and he pinned me with another kiss, increasing the pace with which his hips were moving with mine. He whispered, "I love you, Stephanie," sending me over the edge, with him quickly following.

He collapsed on top of me for a moment, allowing me to absorb his warmth and weight. My legs were still wrapped around his hips and my arms around his torso, holding onto his now sweaty back. As he rolled off of me, he pulled me tightly to his side. We lay there catching our breath as his hand ran slowly through my hair. I felt like I was slipping off to sleep again when he spoke, saying, "I've never felt this way about anyone, Stephanie."

"Me either, Carlos."

"It scares me."

I lifted myself up on my elbow to look in his eyes, silently questioning what he was afraid of.

"What if I lose you? Finding out Aryanna never cared about me and losing her…it made me put a wall up around my heart. Letting you in…it's hard for me. I'm already in love with you, and the thought of it happening again scares the crap out of me."

I leaned up and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm not going anywhere, Carlos. And if I do, I'm taking you with me." He blessed me with one of his gorgeous 200-watt smiles and pulled me into another kiss. After several minutes, he turned so that I was spooned up against him, wrapped tightly in his arms, before we both drifted off to sleep.

**Helen's POV**

Maybe it was just the wine talking, but the Manosos didn't really seem that bad. They sure seemed to love each other, and had no trouble showing it, something I couldn't say about myself. I'd always tried to show my girls and husband how much I loved them, but I always managed to go about it the wrong way.

My biggest mistake? Not telling Stephanie about her offers to play college softball. What a disaster that turned out to be. I just wanted to keep her close to me, and instead, she moved away anyway and stopped trusting me. I can't really blame her for feeling that way, although I never meant to hurt her.

As I lay there in a strange bed, next to my husband, I couldn't help but think of all the things I wanted to do in the coming year. My New Year's resolutions, if you will. I would find new ways every day to show Frank how much I loved him. I'm not sure any other man would put up with my craziness. I wanted to go to work: I'd raised my girls and now it was time to do something I wanted. I would encourage Valerie to be strong in her marriage, even if it meant she would have to raise her baby without a husband. No one deserves to be treated the way he was treating her. And I would make up for my mistake to Stephanie. I wasn't sure how I would do that yet, but I would. This year, 2001, would be a year of change.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? **

**Amy**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

**SMUT WARNING! ;)**

_Previously:_

_As I lay there in a strange bed, next to my husband, I couldn't help but think of all the things I wanted to do in the coming year. My New Year's resolutions, if you will. I would find new ways every day to show Frank how much I loved him. I'm not sure any other man would put up with my craziness. I wanted to go to work: I'd raised my girls and now it was time to do something I wanted. I would encourage Valerie to be strong in her marriage, even if it meant she would have to raise her baby without a husband. No one deserves to be treated the way he was treating her. And I would make up for my mistake to Stephanie. I wasn't sure how I would do that yet, but I would. This year, 2001, would be a year of change. _

**Ch. 22**

**Stephanie's POV**

I awoke the next morning wrapped tightly in Carlos' arms. I could seriously get used to this.

"Me too, Babe."

I sighed at having said my thoughts out loud, _again_, and then turned in Carlos' arms until I was facing him. I was slightly nervous about my breath, but apparently he wasn't worried about his, because the second I turned, he caught my lips in a passionate kiss.

Before things could progress very far, nature began screaming my name. I reluctantly pulled back from the kiss to get up. As I started to pull away, Carlos wrapped me tighter in his arms.

"What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back."

He hesitated but let go, and I jumped up, grabbed my robe, and rushed into the bathroom. After relieving myself, I gave my teeth a quick brush and pulled my hair into a ponytail before returning to my room.

As I reached the doorway, I got a good look at Carlos. He was lying on his back with his arms folded under his head. The sheet was draped over him from the waist down, leaving his gorgeous, mocha latte chest exposed. He turned his head as I entered the room and reached out his arms. I shut the door behind me and smiled, letting him take my hand and pull me down on top of him.

His hands untied my robe and slipped inside, caressing my body with feather-light touches as he kissed me senseless. I could feel his erection pressing against my stomach. I sat up, straddling him to look at his gorgeous body again. I felt my eyes glazing over—I didn't think I could ever get enough of this man!

He sat up and gently removed my ponytail. "I love your curls," he said, running his hands through my hair before pulling me into another kiss. He rolled us over and was poised to enter me when all of a sudden I heard the front door open with a bang. We both jumped.

"STEPHANIE!" my mother shouted from downstairs.

Crap! We jumped up and quickly began getting dressed. I found my tank top and lounge pants from the night before, but didn't have time to grab panties or bra, just throwing on my clothes as quickly as possible. Carlos was dressed in my father's pants and a tank top. I wasn't sure where his top came from, but at this point, all I was concerned with was the fact that we were both dressed.

I pulled open the door and yelled, "Coming, Mom," as we headed down the stairs. I realized I hadn't pulled my hair back up, so I quickly reached up, using the hair tie that I had on my wrist, to secure it in a messy bun. Halfway down, my mom looked up at me, eyes widening. Her mouth dropped open and she turned and walked away. I looked at Carlos to see if there was anything out of place on him, and his eyes widened too.

"Shit," he whispered.

"What? What is it?"

His hand gently touched my neck and I immediately knew.

"Crap!"

"I'm so sorry, Babe."

"I'm not. I'm just sorry my mom saw it!"

"Them."

"Them?"

"Yeah, Babe. Definitely more than one mark there. I think I might have gotten a little carried away."

I smiled and said, "I didn't mind at the time."

Just then the front door opened and my dad walked in. He looked up the stairs at where Carlos and I were standing and his gaze darkened.

"Son, I think it's time you leave."

"Daddy?"

"Stephanie, get back upstairs and get more clothes on. You can speak to Carlos later. He needs to go home."

"Daddy!"

"Now, Stephanie!"

Carlos placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered, "It's ok, Babe." He turned and walked back up to change his clothes. My Dad and I stayed frozen, staring at each other for several seconds, before I turned and stomped back up the stairs.

I opened the door to my bedroom as Carlos was pulling on his jeans. I stopped dead at the sight of his sexy ass. He looked over his shoulder and grinned at me. "See something you like, Babe?"

"See something I love!"

He stood and zipped his pants before turning and pulling me into his embrace. "I'm sorry, Babe. I hope I didn't just cause more trouble for you with your parents."

"I'm not sorry, Carlos. I love you. Maybe this shouldn't have happened here, in my parents' house, but I'm not sorry it happened."

"Me either. I love you, Stephanie."

"I love you too."

He gave me a slow, deep kiss that caused my nipples to harden against his bare chest. Reluctantly he pulled back and laid his forehead against mine. "I really better go before I make things worse. Call me?"

"I will. I really want to congratulate Mari and Alex before they leave for Colorado."

"They leave tomorrow, so if you can, maybe you could come over for dinner?"

"I'll be there."

Carlos finished dressing and stood to leave, pulling me back into one more heated kiss. "Just needed one more for the road," he said, smiling. I kissed him on the neck before laying my head on his shoulder and relaxing in his arms for just a moment.

"Stephanie. You need to get back downstairs, now!" My dad yelled.

I heaved a large sigh before pulling out of Carlos' arms. "I need to change, and unfortunately you need to go. I'll call you later, ok?"

"Yeah Babe. I'll talk to you later." With one last quick kiss, Carlos left the bedroom and headed back downstairs, while I turned to finish getting dressed.

**Carlos' POV**

I turned and went downstairs. Frank Plum was standing at the bottom of the stairs. If looks could kill, I would be on my way to six feet under right now.

"Sir," I said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Young man. I don't know what you think you're doing with my daughter, but…"

I interrupted him, "I love her, sir."

He froze for a moment. "That doesn't excuse what I'm certain happened here. In my house!"

"No sir, it doesn't." I wasn't going to argue with him. It shouldn't have happened here, but I couldn't change it now.

He stared at me for several long moments before saying, "Drive carefully out there. The roads are still pretty slick."

I nodded and said, "Yes sir!" before heading out the door.

**Frank's POV**

Hearing Carlos say he loved my Stephanie made me pause. It didn't excuse the fact that they did things they shouldn't have, in my house, but it did cause me to think. I liked him, and I liked his family. They weren't from the Burg, but they seemed to really care about Stephanie, and that was all that was important to me. I headed to the kitchen to make sure Helen was ok.

She was standing over the stove in the middle of making French toast, and I could hear and smell the coffee brewing. I walked up behind her and placed my hands on her hips, causing her to lean back into me.

"Do you think they were careful? I'm not sure I could handle another pregnant daughter right now."

"Stephanie is a smart girl. And Carlos seems like a smart boy." The truth was, I didn't know if they were careful and I honestly didn't want to ask, but I knew that conversation was going to happen.

Stephanie entered the kitchen behind us. "Mom. Daddy?"

We both turned to look at her. At least she was wearing a bra now, along with a high-neck sweater and jeans. I could still see the marks on her neck, but nothing other than a turtleneck was going to cover them.

"Breakfast is almost ready, Stephanie. Will you grab the plates and silverware for me?" Helen asked before turning back to the stove.

I moved to the coffee pot, which had finished brewing, and poured both Helen and me a cup. I doctored hers the way she liked it and set it on the counter by the stove, before taking my cup and sitting at the kitchen table.

Stephanie moved quickly and quietly setting the table, before pouring herself a glass of milk and taking her seat. Just as she sat down, Helen came over with the plate piled high with French toast, setting it on the table before taking her own seat.

We all filled our plates and began eating in silence. One thing was definitely different between our family and the Manosos: our table was much quieter. Stephanie was halfway through her breakfast when she heaved a sigh and asked, "How was the rest of the party last night?"

Helen answered, "It was fine. Alex asked his girlfriend…"

"Mari," Stephanie interjected.

"Yes, Mari. Alex asked Mari to marry him. He gave her a beautiful ring that was apparently his mother's. Everyone was really happy, and we all toasted with champagne at midnight. I woke up with a terrible headache from the combination of wine and champagne." Helen was still showing signs of a headache, but I don't think it was from her drinking last night.

"I'm sorry," Stephanie said. "Did you two sleep ok? I know how hard it is to sleep in a strange bed. It took me a week to get a good night's sleep in the dorms."

"We slept fine. The bed was very comfortable, but we woke earlier than normal and decided to come on home."

"You told them you were leaving, right?"

"Of course we did," Helen said, sounding exasperated. "Maria and Ricardo were already up and in the kitchen when we left. They were very gracious hosts and offered us breakfast, but we declined so we could eat with you."

I'd had enough dancing around the topic. "What happened here last night, Stephanie? Why didn't you two stay at your grandparents' house?"

**Stephanie's POV**

"Grandma told us to come stay here." I really didn't want to answer the other question. I could feel my cheeks burning.

"You didn't answer your father, Stephanie. What happened here last night?"

Crap. I wasn't going to get out of it. "What do you want me to say, Mom? We ate dessert, we kissed, we made popcorn, we watched the ball drop, and we went to sleep." I couldn't sit there and tell my parents that we had had sex.

I looked up and both of my parents were staring at me. "That isn't all that happened, young lady," my dad said.

I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks, and I lowered my head, unable to meet their gaze. Shaking my head no, I said, "No. It isn't."

"Were you at least careful?" my mom asked.

I heaved a sigh and nodded yes. I didn't feel the need to mention the birth control shot.

"Well, at least I don't think Carlos is going to go write about this all over the bathrooms in Trenton," Dad said.

My head shot up, "Of course he won't."

"I can't say that I'm not disappointed in you, because I am. I raised you better than that, Stephanie. I may not have done everything right, but I thought I had succeeded _that_ much. In our house, Stephanie? You should have more respect for us," my mom said.

"I'm sorry, Mom." I didn't know what else to say. I wasn't sorry I did it, but I was sorry that it happened here.

"He does seem like a nice young man," Mom said, shocking me. After the way she had treated him and talked about him the last week, I didn't expect to hear _that_ coming out of her mouth.

"He's really great, Mom. His whole family is."

"Yes, I can see that now." After a short pause, she said, "Ok. Why don't you go clean up? I know you'll want to go back to Newark at some point, and we need to go check on mother and daddy. Just promise me you'll continue to be careful? And _don't _disrespect his parents the same way."

I nodded as I stood and headed upstairs. Phew!

**Helen's POV**

I did it! I didn't scream, or yell, or ask "Why me?"—that's progress, right? I wanted to. I couldn't help but wonder what the neighbors must be thinking, and how many of them knew that Stephanie was alone here last night with Carlos.

It was obvious he cared about her, and he was definitely a nice young man, but he also gave the "bad boy" vibe and I just knew the biddies around the neighborhood were going to have a field day talking about him and Stephanie.

"Carlos told me he loves Stephanie," Frank said, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"H-h-he, what?" I stuttered out.

"Yep!"

A small smile crossed my face against my normal judgment. Carlos loves my Stephanie.

**Stephanie's POV**

Several hours later, I was on my way to Newark in Dad's Buick. It was newer than Grandpa's and handled better in less than pristine road conditions. Mom and Dad had spent most of the morning at Grandma and Grandpa's, coming home to fix lunch about an hour before I left. Mom said Grandpa was feeling better, and was back to his quirky old self. His problem turned out to be the spice in the food, which had given him indigestion. I could understand that: Mom's food was definitely much blander than Maria's. They were working on packing their things, as the movers would be arriving in just two short weeks, and Mom and Dad were going back to help.

As I barreled down the highway toward Newark, my mind wandered back to last night. It had been so amazing. Of course, it was nothing like the five seconds I spent with Joe Morelli. First of all, none of our time was spent on a hard, cold floor. And while I was a little sore this morning, I felt completely loved, which was definitely unlike my first time. The feeling of Carlos' arms around me, his kisses, his body pressed against mine, having him inside me—it was all so amazing. I am so glad he's moving to Miami with me, because after last night, there's no way I can bear to be far apart from him again.

As I drove up the Manosos' street, I felt that familiar tingle I get every time Carlos is near. And sure enough, as I pulled up, he was out on the porch waiting for me. He jogged down the stairs and helped me out of the car mere moments after I put it in Park. Wrapping his arms around me, he pulled me into a body-warming kiss.

"I've been wanting to do that for hours," he said, pulling back to look at me. "Everything ok at home?"

I smiled at him and nodded. It was freezing out here, even wrapped in Carlos' arms, so we went inside. The beyond-cold weather was definitely one thing I _didn't_ miss about Jersey. Mari and Alex greeted us just inside the door, immediately pulling me into a hug.

"Congratulations!" I said, the excitement evident in my voice. "Les called us last night to tell us. I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you," Mari said, taking my hand and pulling me toward the basement. "Could I speak to you in private?"

I looked over my shoulder at Carlos who nodded, and said, "Sure", as we headed down the stairs.

After getting seated on the couch, Mari took my hand and looked me in the eye before speaking. "I cannot thank you enough for all you have done for Alex and me."

"But I haven't done anything," I protested.

"You have done far more than you think, Stephanie. Alex and I have been together for four years, and he never mentioned marriage. He went ten years without speaking to his family more than once or twice, but he has one conversation with you and now they are reconnected and we are engaged. He's been hurting for a long time and he needed to hear whatever it was you said to him. Everyone else was too close to the situation. You saved him, Stephanie."

"You give me too much credit. I wasn't going to let him hurt Les by leaving, and I lost my temper and yelled at him."

Mari just shook her head at me. "You know, Les told us how great you were, and I totally see it. Whether you know it or not, you have helped us immensely, Stephanie. So thank you."

"You're welcome."

We sat for just a moment, each reflecting in our own ways before the silence started to get to me. "So, Mari. Tell me more about yourself. I didn't really talk to Alex much about you, and Les and I haven't talked much either."

"Well, I'm an accountant. I know some people think it's a boring profession, but I love it. And I'm good at it, which is a plus. I'm 28, and only one month younger than Alex. I was born and raised in Utah, where my parents still live, and I'm an only child. I like to run, but other than that I'm not very athletic. I'm completely envious of your softball skills that I've heard so much about. Alex loves playing, and even plays on a slow-pitch team back in Denver."

"How did you two meet?"

"It's a funny story, actually. My office had been called to come out and audit the books on a construction job. The old project manager had been playing accountant, but could barely add two plus two. Apparently he royally screwed up some of the bidding and the project was going to go bust without some help. The new project manager, who turned out to be Alex, was supposedly a real hardass, so I was nervous.

"I had stopped at a Starbucks on the way, and had just turned around with a latte in my hand when I ran smack into some guy, spilling it all over myself. Thankfully, my coat and suit jacket caught most of the coffee and I wasn't scalded. He apologized profusely and I let him buy me another one before I rushed to the job. I had parked on the wrong side of the building, and was rushing into the construction trailer, afraid I'd piss the "hardass" off for being late, when I ran into the same guy—who turned out to be Alex—_again, _this time spilling the cup all over my white blouse. We locked eyes and laughed once we realized this had _just _happened across town. I changed into a way-too-big for me dress shirt he kept on his door, and we got down to business. After spending three days with him, working on the books and helping to organize the financials for the job, he asked me out. We've been together ever since."

"That sounds like something that would happen to me. Only when _I_ spilled the coffee, it probably would have soaked all the way through and burned me." We both laughed at that. Just then, there was a knock at the top of the stairs and the door opened.

"Is it safe to come down?" Alex asked.

"Yep, we're good," Mari said, looking at me.

Alex, Carlos, and Les came down the stairs and joined us in the sitting area. Les was looking between Carlos and me with an expression that I couldn't quite read, before Alex started talking. "So, Mari and I talked last night before going to bed. We want to get married at St. Lawrence's in Miami, like Mama and Papa did. We also want to try to get married before you head off to boot camp, Les, so we're going to try to do it at the end of May, if they have an opening."

I noticed tears forming in Les's eyes, and he quickly moved to Mari and Alex, joining in a group hug. I smiled at the sight they made, so happy that my friend had his family back.

"And of course I want you to be my best man," Alex told Les.

"Of course," Les said, the emotion apparent in his voice.

"And Carlos, will you stand up with me too?" Alex asked.

"I'd be honored, Alex."

Ooh, Carlos in a tux. Yum!

Everyone turned to look at me and then burst out laughing. Damn, out loud again.

The next few hours were spent laughing, playing cards, discussing wedding plans, and just being together. I found myself reaching out and touching Carlos several times, and he was doing the same. I had never felt the need to just touch someone so much in my life.

After another one of Maria's delicious dinners, I figured I'd better head back to Trenton. Carlos and I had decided we would leave in two days, after Les, Alex, and Mari departed for Colorado. I would need to get all of my things together and spend a little time helping Grandma and Grandpa pack, which meant I wouldn't be back in Newark before we left for Miami. I hugged everyone in Carlos' family goodbye before leaving. Maria and Ricardo promised if I made it onto the University softball team that they would come down for a game. I might have gotten a little teary-eyed at that.

I made Mari promise to call me with any wedding help she needed, since I would actually _be_ in Miami, making errands easier for me than her. Carlos then walked me to my car and climbed into the passenger seat so he could kiss me properly without either of us freezing. Several minutes later the windows were all completely fogged, and I was wondering how I was going to last until we would have some privacy again.

XXXXXXXX

_**Two days later…**_

Carlos and I had been driving south for what was beginning to feel like forever. We had talked, listened to music, talked some more—telling each other more about our childhoods and families—and were both nearing the point of exhaustion when we decided to stop for the night.

We found a Motel 6, which may have been the same one I stayed in on my initial drive to Miami. We had barely entered the room before Carlos had me pushed up against the door, kissing me with indescribable passion.

"I've been dying for just five minutes alone with you for two days."

I smiled at him and said, "We've been _alone_ for hours."

"Yes, but I wasn't able to do this," and with that he yanked my sweats and panties off in one quick motion. We were kissing each other in a frenzy of lust, stopping only long enough to remove my shirt and then his. My bra somehow disappeared, though I'm not sure when, and before I knew it, Carlos' pants were around his ankles. He lifted me against the wall, his hands cupping my ass. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and could feel his rock-hard erection pressing against my entrance. In one hard thrust he buried himself in me. We both gasped at the feeling of him filling me, and soon our hips started pounding against each other, thrust for thrust, in a rush for release. "You feel so good!" he growled. I moaned in agreement. He kept pounding into me and it wasn't long before I was screaming out his name and he was growling mine.

Carlos leaned his forehead against my shoulder before he slowly pulled out of me, making me whimper, and then lowering me to the floor onto my wobbly legs.

"I'm sorry, Babe. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not even close, Carlos. And there's nothing to be sorry about. That was hot! We can go slow next time."

He let out a bark of laughter before leaning in to kiss me slowly and thoroughly, weakening my knees even more than they already were. He lifted me bridal style, and after stepping out of his pants, walked us to the bed and gently laid me down, never breaking the kiss. He lay down beside me, half on top, kissing me deeply with our tongues methodically exploring each other's mouths.

This time, when we made love it _was _slow, both of us pouring every ounce of love we had into each thrust. After we were both sated—at least for the time being—we lay in each other's arms. My body was draped across Carlos' chest and he was lightly rubbing his hand up and down my back. As I drifted off to sleep, I found myself thinking that I could spend the rest of my life loving Carlos, and it still wouldn't be long enough.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: So. Thoughts? Next chapter we will FINALLY be in Miami. Anything special you would like to see?**

**Amy**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

**SMUT WARNING! ;)**

**TISSUES MAY BE NEEDED!**

_Previously:_

_This time, when we made love it was slow, both of us pouring every ounce of love we had into each thrust. After we were both sated – at least for the time being – we lay in each other's arms. My body was draped across Carlos' chest and he was lightly rubbing his hand up and down my back. As I was drifting to sleep, I found myself thinking that I could spend the rest of my life loving Carlos and it wouldn't be long enough._

**Ch. 23**

**Stephanie's POV**

The past three days had been fantastic. Carlos and I had spent nearly every moment together, either helping me organize my room at Bridget's, or settling his stuff in the new 3-bedroom apartment that Les had rented for Carlos, Bobby, and himself. I helped Carlos go and pick out a bed for his room and then I helped him break it in…several times. My apartment came furnished, thankfully; I certainly couldn't afford a bedroom set at the moment. Bridget was still in Kentucky visiting her family and Bobby was out of town with the basketball team, so no matter which place we stayed, we had complete privacy. But now it was time to get back to reality.

I had a 9 a.m. meeting scheduled with Coach Thompson to talk about me potentially participating with the team this year. And then at noon, I needed to be at work. Normally I didn't work until three in the afternoon, but when I told my boss I was available for more hours today, she asked me to come in early and help her with some paperwork. Unwilling to turn down the extra money, I quickly agreed. Carlos planned to spend the morning job-hunting and then we were going to get together for an early lunch.

As I walked toward Coach Thompson's office, I felt a little sick to my stomach. I loved that my apartment was within walking distance to campus so I wouldn't have to buy another parking pass, but the way my stomach felt, I was wishing I had a long drive right about now to calm my nerves. Walking into her office, I took a deep breath and reminded myself that the worst she could say was no.

"Stephanie, nice to meet you. I've heard some great things about you," Coach Thompson greeted me.

"Nice to meet you too, Coach Thompson. You've heard about me?"

"Of course I have. Your name floated all over the circuit the last two years. I couldn't believe it when some of my fellow coaches told me you had turned down their offers."

I lowered my head and steadied myself with a deep breath. "_I_ didn't turn anyone down. My mother spoke on my behalf, taking the calls and telling them I wasn't interested. I never even knew about the calls, and that I had gotten some offers, until Thanksgiving."

She stared at me for a moment. "So I'm going to be the one lucky enough to have you on my team," she said with a huge smile.

I smiled back, "I sure hope so!"

Well, right now my roster is completely full, and it isn't normal for freshmen to start anyway. But if you're interested, we'd love to have you come and practice with us. I have four seniors on the team right now and I'd love to offer you one of their spots next year.

It took all of my self-control not to break out in a happy dance and start squealing. After a moment to reassure myself that I could speak without squeaking, I nodded my head and said, "I'd love that!"

"Ok, great! I know you pitch and I think I recall you played outfield a few times?" she asked.

"Yes. I've pitched for the past eight years and played every position on the field except first base. I'm open to playing anywhere." At this point, I'd play catcher for 24 hours straight on the hottest day in Jersey if it meant I got to be on the team.

"We actually have three catchers already, but thanks for the offer," she said, obviously trying to control her laughter.

I felt the blush rise up my cheeks. I really needed to work on _not_ speaking my thoughts out loud!

"Pitchers start practice at 7 a.m., Monday through Friday. The team practices those days at 8:30 a.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. until school is back in session, and then we go earlier. Our game season officially starts at the beginning of February. We've already been practicing for a while, but I gave the girls a little time off for Christmas and we start back tonight. If you can make it to tonight's practice, that would be ideal."

"I'll be there!" I could no longer contain my enthusiasm.

"Great. I'll see you at the field."

"Thank you so much!"

I walked out of her office feeling like I was flying. I couldn't believe how well things were turning out. Even if I didn't get to play in a single game, just getting to practice every day was so exciting. I couldn't wait to tell Carlos!

Carlos met me at my apartment at 10:30. I hadn't expected him until 11, so when he let himself in, I was standing in front of my closet in a lacy bra and thong, preparing to dress for work. I saw his face in the mirror on my closet door as he walked into the room, and noticed how dark his eyes got. I turned and quickly walked to him, pulling him into a sensual kiss. My good news was all but forgotten as he lifted me, my legs wrapping tightly around his waist and carrying me to the bed.

It took mere moments for him to remove my panties and bra as well as his clothing, and after some seriously hot foreplay, he put both my legs over his shoulders and started thrusting in and out of me. This was a new position for us, and the angle his cock was penetrating me seemed to stimulate places in my pussy that had never been stimulated before. Between this and the attention he was giving my clit with two of his fingers, I flew over the edge in record time, taking him with me as my muscles clenched his cock rhythmically. Our lovemaking was always so passionate, and I found myself silently hoping and praying that we could be this way forever.

We lay in my bed completely sated, and I was starting to think that maybe I didn't need the extra money after all. Just as I was considering climbing on top of him and starting all over again, my stomach spoke up in protest at not being fed for hours.

Carlos broke into laughter. "We'd better feed the beast, Babe."

I rushed into the bathroom for a quick wash-up—I couldn't go to work at an elementary school smelling of sex. Once I was finished, I grabbed fresh panties, a new bra, jeans and a navy blue long-sleeve T-shirt. As I walked into the kitchen, Carlos was just plating two sandwiches with chips. Kissing him quickly as a thank you, I dug in.

"How did your meeting with the coach go, Babe?"

"It went great! I'm going to start practicing with them tonight. There isn't room for me on the team, but I get to practice with them, and she said she had a spot for me next year."

"That's fantastic, Babe! Congratulations!"

"Thanks! How did job hunting go?"

"It went well. I'm going to start working for a small security company. They offer private security for small businesses around Miami. They're new, and can use a lot of help getting organized. But I can't start for two weeks."

"Are you going to be ok financially?"

"I have some savings, and I could probably ask Mama and Papa if I really need to. I was just hoping for something that started right away."

"I could talk to Nancy."

"Nancy?"

"Yeah. My boss. Les won't be back until right before school starts, and most of the other employees won't either, so I know we'll be short-handed. Maybe she could hire you as a fill-in until the others are back, or until you start your new job."

"That would be great, Babe."

"Why don't you follow me to work this afternoon and you can meet her?"

"Let me clean up really quick. Do you have time to wait?"

"I need to leave in about ten minutes."

"Plenty of time," Carlos said, standing up and heading for the bathroom. And true to form, he was out, clean and dressed, with about three minutes to spare.

I introduced Carlos to Nancy when we arrived, and she was extremely grateful for the offer of help. Carlos left to fill out employment paperwork and sit in on a class this afternoon. He would officially start tomorrow.

I helped Nancy catch up on paperwork, and had about 30 minutes to kill before the kids were finished with normal school hours and ready for the after-school program. I noticed Nancy looking frustrated as she looked through a home furnishings catalog. Always the curious one, I asked, "Are you looking for something in particular?"

She heaved a sigh before saying, "Well, I want to redecorate my living room, but I don't have the slightest idea of where to start."

"What kind of look are you going for?"

"Well, my living room is in the back of my house and opens to the beach. Right now, it's very formal, mostly blacks and whites, and not very comfortable for guests. The other reason we want to remodel is that sand gets tracked onto the white carpet and makes everything look dirty."

I thought for a moment before saying, "You should really go with light colors that play up the 'sandy' look. For instance, your carpet should be tan, so you don't notice the sand. And maybe light blue walls and a furniture fabric that's easily cleaned so your guests won't worry about sitting on it if they have sand stuck to them."

"I like that. Our white carpet looks tan already in areas that are the most concentrated from the sand. And our couch is leather, and has little scratches on it from sand, so it isn't very nice looking anymore."

"I'd be happy to come up with some ideas for you. I have a lot of catalogs at my apartment. I'm considering going into Interior Design, so you could be my first 'test' to see if I'm any good at it."

"That would be great!"

That afternoon at work turned out to be very gratifying for me. The kids were so happy I was back, and nearly all of them asked where Les was. I hurried home after work, and grabbed a light dinner before changing and heading to the field for practice. My nerves were jangling and I wanted to get in a little bit of stretching before the team showed up.

I stretched and jogged a few laps around the entire field before warming up my arm throwing and pitching against the backstop. I had just finished my old pre-game exercises when the rest of the team trickled in. I got a lot of curious looks, but no one said anything. Coach Thompson arrived a few minutes before the scheduled start time and introduced me to the rest of the girls. It wasn't the warmest reception, but I really didn't blame them. Here I was, joining in after they had been practicing together for months. I'm sure some of them were a little nervous about their spots on the team.

The practice lasted two hours and I felt fantastic. For batting practice, the coach had me pitch. She said it would be good for the team to see someone other than their usual three pitchers. I couldn't believe it when none of them could hit off of me when I was giving it my all. I had to slow down my throws for every single player. I was trying not to let it go to my head, but it was hard. I felt great!

Coach Thompson watched me intently nearly the entire practice, and while it made me incredibly nervous, I liked the challenge. At the end, I felt like I'd proven myself. She reminded me about pitching practice the next morning, and I packed up my bags and left.

Carlos was waiting at my apartment when I got back. He had a steaming hot pizza, a two-liter of Coke, and a bag of chips sitting on the coffee table, and he was watching a basketball game on television. I gave him a tired smile as I walked over and joined him on the couch.

"Hey," he said hitting the mute button on the remote. "How was your first practice?"

"Exhilarating. Exhausting. I stink, mind if I grab a shower before we eat?"

"Of course not," he said, leaning into me and kissing me on the neck. "Want some company? I bet I'm really good in the shower."

"Mmmmm, you 'bet'? You mean you don't already know?"

"Never tried it," he said in a husky voice as his kisses concentrated on my ear and my neck, while his hand was slowly moving under my shirt. "But I think it would be a good learning experience. After all, college is about learning, right?"

"Can't argue with that, Batman. Let's go."

He pulled back and looked at me with a smirk on his face. "Batman, huh?"

"You didn't think I was going to let that go, did you?"

"I had hoped you'd forgotten about it."

"Steel trap," I said tapping my temple.

"Good to know, Babe," he said before helping me stand and then throwing me over his shoulder and heading to the bathroom, with me pounding on his ass and laughing the whole way. Our dinner was all but forgotten.

And oh boy…turns out he _was_ good in the shower!

XXXXXXXXX

It had been a fast two weeks. Softball continued to be exhausting, but most of the girls were finally warming up to me. I'm guessing Coach had told them I was just there to practice, as there was no room on the team, so they shouldn't worry.

Bridget had gotten back two days ago, and so far, living together was working out great. I had shown her the work I did pulling together samples of colors and materials for Nancy's new living room, and she was impressed. She said I had a real knack for it, and was certain I would love the Interior Design class.

Les was due back any minute, and Carlos and I were waiting at the airport for him. The monitors showed his gate as 32C, and that's where we were standing, waiting. When the door to the ramp down to the plane finally opened, I felt my stomach flutter. I was so anxious to see my friend, and hear all about his trip to Colorado and the time spent with Alex and his soon-to-be sister-in-law Mari.

Half of the plane had de-boarded before I spotted Les—who must have stood at least a foot and a half taller than the two old ladies exiting before him—coming through the door. He face broke into that gorgeous crooked smile as he rushed over and wrapped both Carlos and me in a tight hug.

The ride back to the guys' apartment went by in a flash, with Les filling us in on his trip and how well things had gone. Mari had called the church in Miami and booked it for the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. That was the only date the church had open for more than a year and a half, and that day was available only because of a cancellation. Fate was smiling on them.

I had convinced the guys to go with me the next afternoon to help move Grandma and Grandpa into their new house. Apparently, the moving truck had arrived and unloaded all their furniture and boxes into the garage, saying that was as far as they were contractually required to take it. I was livid, but Carlos told me it was no trouble for them to help, and it would give them an excuse to visit Abuela Rosa, too. Bobby got in just as we were finishing up our late lunch and I gave him a quick hug before heading out the door to get ready for work. This was Carlos' last day at the school; he would start at the security firm—Floyd's Security—the following Monday.

I could tell Carlos was going to miss the kids from the after-school program. He had really bonded with a young boy named Julio. His older brother, Hector, was heavily involved in a gang; Julio was desperate for Hector to leave it all behind, but so far hadn't had any luck convincing him to do so. Julio really stuck close to Carlos, looking to him as a mentor. I really hoped that they could somehow maintain their bond when Carlos left for Floyd's.

That night at softball practice I was hit with some news: good for me, but bad for a girl who had been really nice to me. Jessica Hernandez, starting center fielder, fractured her elbow—I didn't even ask how that happened—and would be out for the rest of the year. The good news for her was that she was only a sophomore, so she would be able to rejoin the team next year. The good news for me: we were two weeks out from our first game of the season, and I was _officially_ on the University of Miami's roster! I practically bounced all the way back to my apartment.

Carlos had planned to spend the evening hanging out with Bobby and Lester. He had been with me practically every moment since we left Jersey, and I knew he could use some guy time. Bridget was out with some other girlfriends, and I was due for some alone time myself.

I changed into pajama pants and a tank top, grabbed my favorite throw blanket—a soft fleece material with Wonder Woman all over it that my grandparents had given me as a present for my sixteenth birthday—and cuddled up on the couch. I had planned on watching a movie, but I just couldn't contain my excitement any longer and had to tell _someone_ about making the team. I grabbed my new cell phone and dialed.

"Plum residence."

"Hi, Mom."

"Oh, hi, Stephanie. Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Everything is perfect!"

"Perfect?"

"I'm officially on the softball team! One of the girls got injured and is out for the rest of the season, leaving room for me on the roster."

There was a moment's hesitation before Mom spoke again, saying, "That's wonderful, Stephanie. Congratulations."

It's hard to describe how someone can say words that are the right words, but don't have the feeling of sincerity behind them, but my mother had perfected that skill.

"Thanks. Is Daddy home?"

"No. He's started working with some friends who run a cab company. I guess he wants to have a little more cushion for retirement at the end of the year. He was called out on a pick-up about 30 minutes ago."

"Ok. Well, tell him I called and that I love him."

"I will, dear."

"Bye." And I hung up. I didn't wait for a response and it also didn't escape my mind that I hadn't told her that I loved _her_. I know she thinks she's trying, but I don't feel like she is trying hard enough.

After only a moment's hesitation, I searched through my contacts and pressed "Send".

"Hello?" came a cheery voice.

"Hi! This is Stephanie."

"Oh, hey, Steph! This is Veronica. Everything ok?" 

"Everything is great! I was wondering if I could talk to your mom?"

"Um…she's cleaning up the kitchen, but let me check."

"You don't have to interrupt her…"

I could tell she wasn't listening to me anymore. After a few moments, the phone was transferred to Maria.

"Hi, mija, how are you?"

"I'm great. School starts back on Monday, and I'm really excited about a couple classes. Grandma and Grandpa arrived earlier today and I'm going to help them move their stuff around in the house tomorrow."

"That's so thoughtful of you. I hope my Carlos is going to help?"

"Of course. He and Lester agreed, and I'm sure they'll drag Bobby along too," I said, smiling.

"Something else is going on, mija. I can hear the excitement in your voice. What is it?"

Maria could read me better than my own mother. "Well…I'm officially on the softball team."

I heard a scream, and then the clattering of what must have been the phone dropping to the floor. A few moments later, I could tell that I had been put on speakerphone, based on the background noise.

"Veronica, run and get your Papa…tell him to hurry!"

"Is everything ok?"

"Everything is wonderful. I had my hands in a sink full of dishes and was holding the phone with my shoulder and when you said you made the team I got so excited I dropped the phone and it nearly fell in the sink! Angelica and Gabby are sitting at the counter doing homework and Veronica was drying for me. As soon as Ricardo gets here, we'll nearly all be here and you can give us _all_ the details." I smiled at her excitement. At least _someone_ was happy for me!

"I'm here, Maria, what's wrong?" I heard Ricardo ask.

"Stephanie is on the phone and she has wonderful news! Antonio was with Ricardo, Steph, so we're all here now! Tell us, tell us!"

"I'm officially on the softball team for the University of Miami!"

There wasn't even a moment's hesitation before they erupted into cheers and shouts of congratulations. Once they calmed down I told them all the details about Jessica's injury and Coach having room for me, and that there wouldn't be a scholarship, but I was completely ok with that. They asked about my schedule and I promised to email it to them. Ricardo and Maria didn't have email, but all the kids did, so I quickly jotted down Veronica's email address.

Once we were finished talking details, Ricardo spoke up and asked, "Is Carlos taking you out to celebrate?"

"I haven't told him yet."

"What? Why?" Maria asked.

"He's out with Lester and Bobby tonight. I've been occupying so much of his time lately, I figured he needed a break and some guy time. I'll tell him tomorrow."

"Hmmm, I don't think he'll see this the same way you do," Ricardo said.

"What did your parents say?"

I hesitated. "Well, Dad wasn't home, but Mom said congratulations."

"Just _congratulations_?"

"She said, 'that's wonderful', but yeah, that's about it."

"I'm sorry, mija," Maria said.

"It's alright. I didn't expect much else. I know she isn't a fan of me playing. But I've just about gotten over caring," I said with a strangled laugh. In all honesty, I was trying really hard not to cry.

"Well, _we_ are so very happy for you, mija. And I just know Carlos will be too!" Maria said sincerely.

"Thank you," I said around a newly formed lump in my throat. "I will talk to you all soon, ok?"

"Love you, sweetie," Ricardo said, causing the lump in my throat to grow. "_Love you!_" was shouted through the phone, sounding like everyone in the house had said it.

"I love you all, too," I said before a whispered "Bye", and then hung up.

I took a few steadying breaths before going to the bathroom and splashing a little cool water on my face to keep the tears at bay. I can't even describe how Carlos' family made me feel. I don't think I've ever felt that much love directed at me before, except from my dad and grandparents…and Carlos.

I had calmed my emotions and just returned to the living room couch to watch my movie when I heard the locks tumble on the front door. I felt that familiar tingle on my neck, and my head shot around to find Carlos walking in with a huge smile on his face.

"I got here as soon as I could, Babe."

He stalked toward me with his sexiest smile and joined me on the couch as I asked, "What do you mean, as soon as you could? I thought you were going out with Bobby and Lester?"

"That's before Mama called me and told me you made the softball team. Why didn't _you_ call me?"

"I didn't want to interrupt your guys' night. I feel like I've been occupying all your time. I thought you might want a little break."

Carlos used his hands to frame my face, giving me a gentle kiss on my lips before saying, "If I need a break, I'll tell you, Babe. I love spending time with you. And this was huge news. I would have loved to hear about it from you."

I returned his kiss with a little more passion, breaking away to say, "I can tell you all about it now, if you want."

Carlos shook his head and whispered "Later" before pulling me on top of him and proceeding to kiss me with unbridled passion. He stood as if I weighed nothing at all and carried me into my bedroom. After he kicked my door shut, he pulled back long enough to say, "I think we should celebrate first!"

And boy oh boy…did we _celebrate_!

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would _love_ to know what you think? **

**Amy**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

**SMUT WARNING! I honestly wasn't going to have any smut in this chapter, but Carlos…he's very persuasive! ;)**

_Previously:_

_Carlos shook his head and whispered "Later" before pulling me on top of him and proceeding to kiss me with unbridled passion. He stood as if I weighed nothing at all and carried me into my bedroom. After he kicked my door shut, he pulled back long enough to say, "I think we should celebrate first!"_

_And boy oh boy…did we celebrate!_

**Ch. 24**

My first two weeks of the spring semester were crazy busy! I had a feeling I was really going to enjoy my classes—that is, if I was able to stay awake during them. Between super early practices, class, work, and homework, it looked to be an insane semester.

Carlos and I barely saw each other. We intersected on campus at least twice a week, and Carlos would pull me around a corner, out of sight, kissing me senseless until we both had to be on our way. I think that was probably the best part of each week: searching him out as I walked from class to class.

This past Thursday night, there was a home basketball game and I went to support Bobby. Carlos had a class so he couldn't go, but Les and Bridget were there. Bobby was a forward on the team and he had an amazing game, scoring 23 points and more assists than I could count. We won the game, and I think Les, Bridget, and I may have cheered louder than anyone else in the building. What can I say? We were proud of our friend!

Carlos met us after class at the guys' apartment, and we had pizza to celebrate Bobby's win. I ended up staying the night with Carlos, and while I enjoyed every second of our time together, I regretted it the next morning when I had to get up at 4:30 to go back to my apartment and get ready for practice. I decided if we were going to stay the night together, I would either have to be better prepared, or it would have to be at my place.

We were only one day away from my first game. I didn't think I would start—I wasn't sure I would see the field at all—but this was still my first college softball game. Playing or not, I was nervous! Carlos had asked if he could take me out to dinner that night; I wanted more than anything to spend time with him, but the team had a ritual on Friday nights before Saturday games, and I wanted to be a part of it.

The team headed to a local dive that claimed to have the best seafood in all of Florida. The table was filled with crab, shrimp, and lobster, and the conversation was lively. We talked about Clemson University, the team from South Carolina that we were playing the next day, and some of the seniors and juniors on the team told us about the previous season. Clemson had made it to the NCAA Regional Tournament last year and only missed out on the college World Series by one run. All but one player was returning this year, so the girls were nervous and doubtful that we stood a chance against them. I wanted desperately to be the cheerleader for the team, telling the girls not to give up before we'd even started, but I didn't feel it was my place. I'd only officially been a part of this team for two weeks.

After dinner, most of the girls headed home for an early bedtime due to our early start the next morning. When I arrived home, Les and Bridget were making out on the couch. Neither of them even flinched when I came in—they probably didn't notice I was there. I was glad those two had each other. They seemed like a perfect fit with their lighthearted personalities and comedic nature, and I could feel the electricity between them. I was a little nervous about what would happen when Les joined the Army, but I had to believe that if they were meant to be, time and distance wouldn't make a difference.

I took a quick shower and got ready for bed, surprised that I hadn't heard from Carlos. As I climbed into bed I dialed his number, hoping to be able to talk to him and at least tell him goodnight. His phone barely rang before it instantly went to voicemail. I was a little upset by that, unsure where he was, but figured there was a good reason he wasn't available.

As I drifted off to sleep, my subconscious got the better of me and I tossed and turned with nightmares of Carlos with other women…women who weren't too busy to spend time with him, who wouldn't turn him down for a dinner invitation. I felt tears on my cheek as I awoke to someone stroking my hair and whispering, "It's ok" in my ear.

As the fog cleared from my brain, I realized the person in my bed was Carlos. I smiled at him before asking, "What time is it?"

"Just before six," he whispered, kissing my neck and completely turning me on.

"Where were you last night?" I asked, unable to stop myself. I trusted him, so I didn't know where my doubts were coming from.

"Sorry, I wasn't able to call you. I switched shifts with one of the guys at work, and ended up working a double so I could be at your game today. I was on surveillance and couldn't answer my phone or call to let you know where I was."

"Carlos! You didn't have to do that. I probably won't even play today. The team we're playing is amazing. I can't see Coach letting a freshman who _just_ joined the team even leave the bench."

"I'm not going to waste time arguing with you right now, especially when there's something else I would much rather be doing." He lifted my nightshirt over my head, leaving me clad only in a silky midnight blue thong. "Blue is my _favorite_ color, Babe!"

Before I could reply, he began kissing down my body, starting at my neck and slowly moving lower. His mouth latched onto my right nipple, causing my back to arch off the bed, pushing more of my breast into his mouth. He alternated between sucking the nipple and gently biting it, sending shock waves straight to my doodah. He moved to my left breast, after thoroughly kissing my right, and gave it the same attention. I was soaking wet, and could feel my juices dripping down into the crack of my ass, no doubt ruining my sheets.

My orgasm was building, which shocked me considering he hadn't even touched my now-aching pussy. Just as I was about to cum, he removed his mouth from my breast, dragging a groan from me. He placed wet, open-mouthed kisses down my body, pausing to dip his tongue into my navel, drawing a deep moan from me. By now, my breath was ragged, and I was panting and praying for a quick release. He slowly lowered my completely ruined panties and began kissing up my legs, alternating between left and right with each kiss. He licked behind my knees, causing a new rush of fluids, and then ever so slowly continued up my thighs. I swear, if he had taken any more time, I would have yanked his hair and positioned his head just where I wanted it. Finally he reached the Promised Land, and drew my clit into his mouth with a hard suck and flick of his tongue, sending me over the edge screaming his name. I tried to control my volume, but there was no holding back.

He didn't let up after my orgasm, pushing first one and then another finger into my slick folds, while alternating between licking and sucking my clit. I was writhing under his ministrations, unable to lie even remotely still, pushing myself against his face and fingers. My body quickly responded to his efforts and I was flying over the edge again. Carlos barely gave me a moment to recover before climbing up my body. He kissed me with an unyielding passion before pulling back and staring into my eyes to ask, "Do you trust me, Babe?"

"Of course I do," was my quick response, causing me to momentarily reflect on my nightmares of him with other women. I could tell he noticed something in my eyes, because he asked, "Are you sure?"

I nodded and whispered, "I'm sure."

Without another word, Carlos gave me another hard kiss before directing my body to turn over and helping to position me on my knees. I was leaning on my elbows as Carlos slowly guided his incredibly hard cock into me. Unable to control my own body, I pushed against him, forcing him to enter me faster and pulling gasps of pleasure from both of us as his thighs met mine. We hadn't tried this position before, and while I missed seeing his gorgeous face as he thrust into me, with this position he hit my G-spot every time, pushing me higher than ever before with amazing speed. I couldn't control myself and was soon screaming in pleasure as I pushed against him with each thrust, drawing out my orgasm. Carlos was thrusting into me harder and faster, and I had to lift myself up to hold onto the headboard of my bed for better leverage. This created an even different sensation, and we both came, screaming the other's name. I lowered myself until I was lying on my stomach with my head turned toward Carlos, allowing me to see him gulping in air. I smiled, knowing that I wasn't the only one out of breath.

Once both of us had calmed down a little, Carlos pulled me closer so that I was tucked into his side, with my head resting on his shoulder. He slowly rubbed his hand up and down my arm, causing goosebumps.

"Babe?"

"Hmmm?"

"Why were you crying in your sleep?"

I froze. I _really_ didn't want to tell him what my subconscious mind was thinking.

"You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

"I know," I whispered. I took a deep breath before saying, "I was having a nightmare."

"Can you tell me what it was about?"

I can, but I don't really want to, I thought. "Well…I had a dream that you were with other women last night. Women that had more time for you."

Carlos shifted, forcing me onto my back as he lifted himself up on one elbow to look down at me. "Babe. There is no other woman in the world that I want. I want you; whatever time you have for me, whatever you can give me. That's what I want. I know you're busy, you're living your dream."

"I know, but I just feel like we've barely seen each other the past couple of weeks, and I'm afraid you're going to find someone who isn't as busy and can devote more of her time to you."

"Even if I found a girl who would follow me around like a puppy dog and be available whenever I wanted something, she still wouldn't be you. What brought this on, Babe?"

"I don't know. It's possible my conversation with Valerie the other day gave my subconscious something to think about. She's leaving Steve. She found him on his desk screwing his secretary when she went to surprise him for lunch. She's moving home until she figures out what she wants. I guess when I couldn't get ahold of you last night, my mind went into overdrive."

"Steve's an idiot. I should have beat the shit out of him at Christmas when I had the chance," Carlos said with fire in his eyes. I couldn't help it, I laughed.

"He isn't worth the energy, but thank you for wanting to stick up for me and my family."

"Always, Babe. Always! I'm sorry I caused you to worry. I promise, if my schedule changes from now on, I'll make sure to find a way to let you know. No more unnecessary worrying. But just know there's no way I would ever cheat on you. Ever! I love you, Babe."

"I love you too, Carlos," I said before my lips met his. Just as he deepened the kiss and I thought we were going to go for another round, my alarm began blaring, signaling it was time to get up and get ready for the softball game. Carlos gave a small groan and rolled off me. I turned off the alarm and gave Carlos a deep kiss before telling him to stay and sleep while I grabbed a quick shower. As tempting as it was to drag him into the shower with me, I didn't want to be late for the game.

I showered quickly before donning my uniform, pulling my hair up into a messy bun, and attaching my visor. As I left the bathroom, I noticed Carlos was sound asleep, and I paused for a moment to admire the beauty of the naked man in my bed. I grabbed my bat bag and cleats before padding out to the kitchen for a quick breakfast.

As I rounded the corner I saw Bridget standing at the counter fixing toast, wearing what had to be Les's shirt and a goofy grin similar to my own.

"Morning," she whispered.

"Morning! Did you and Les have a good time last night?"

"About as good a time as you and Carlos this morning. Though I don't feel the need to wake the dead when I orgasm," she shot back, with a grin to let me know she was just teasing. It didn't prevent the blush rushing up my cheeks.

"Oh God, Bridget, I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be. If I could feel my lower extremities, I would have woken Les for another round myself." I laughed at that—I knew exactly what she meant. There have been days when I could barely walk after sex with Carlos.

When the toaster popped up, she handed me a plate with two pieces, the jar of peanut butter, and a knife. I slathered the warm toast with peanut butter and sliced a banana on top. I didn't want to eat too much before my game, afraid it would come back up if I _did_ get to play. I downed my breakfast with a glass of milk and then went back into my room to check on Carlos. Covering him gently with a sheet, I kissed him softly on his forehead and sneaked back out.

"Will you have Les wake Carlos before you guys come to the game? He worked a double last night and could use a little more sleep," I asked Bridget as I gathered my things.

"Sure thing. We'll see you at the field. Good luck!"

"Thanks," I said as I headed out the door. I was halfway to the field when my cell phone rang in my bag. Thinking it must be Carlos, I pulled it out and answered without even checking to see who it was.

"Hey. Sorry I didn't wake you, I thought you could use a little more sleep."

"Hello? Stephanie?"

Oh crap! It was my mother! "Hi Mom, I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else."

She cleared her throat before she said, "I just wanted to wish you luck on your first game."

I stopped walking and pulled the phone away from my ear to stare at the screen. It was definitely my mother, but I couldn't believe my ears.

"How did you know I had a game today?"

"I looked it up on the Internet at the library. I'm so embarrassed by the way I handled your news about being on the team, and I want you to know I'm so very happy for you and I know you'll do great."

I was speechless, and I could feel tears forming. I had to clear my throat to be able to say, "Thanks, Mom."

"Your father and I really wish we could be there to watch. We hope to make it to a couple games, especially when you play closer to Jersey."

Who was this woman and what did she do with my mother? "That would be great, Mom. Where's Daddy?"

"He picked up an extra shift at the post office. He's working as much overtime as possible to help pad our savings for his retirement next winter. Although he's considering working longer, but we'll see. He wanted me to tell you he would be thinking about you, and we hope you'll call later to let us know how the game went."

"I will. Thanks, Mom. I've gotta go."

"Of course, dear. Good luck."

We exchanged goodbyes and hung up. I continued on to the field, thinking this day couldn't get any better! About half of the team was there when I arrived, and I began warming up. Even though I doubted I would play today, I still warmed up my arm both overhand and underhand.

The game had just started when I noticed Carlos, Les, and Bridget in the stands. Les and Bridget waved as Carlos gave me a wink, which I returned with a finger wave and a smile. I couldn't help but notice that the other girls on the team also spotted my friends, and I heard whisperings about the gorgeous guys in the stands. I smiled, but kept my mouth shut.

Rachel, a senior, started out pitching. I'm not sure what her heritage was, but she had long, silky black hair, tanned skin, and sparkling brown eyes. She was truly beautiful, and I found myself glancing at Carlos, wondering if she was his type. But every time I turned to look at the stands, his eyes were on me, and he would give a wink.

Clemson had scored five runs by the end of the second inning, and Joni was sent in to relieve Rachel. Joni wasn't as gorgeous as Rachel, but she _was _definitely pretty. She was a tall blonde with grayish-blue eyes and an extra large chest. She didn't seem to attract Carlos' attention either. She gave up another three runs, and we were only able to score two in the four innings we had played so far.

So by the bottom of the fourth, Clemson was creaming us. As we earned our third out and prepared to take the field again, Coach Thompson called out, "Plum, you're in." I sat frozen for a moment, shocked at what I had just heard.

It only took me a second to recover and grab my glove. Before I stepped out of the dugout, I realized I wasn't sure where the coach wanted me. I stared at her for a second before she smiled and said, "Pitcher. Please don't give up any more runs!"

I nodded my head and jogged out to the mound, taking deep breaths and trying not to throw up. I knew that I wouldn't be able to focus if I looked over at the stands to where Carlos, Les, and Bridget were cheering, so I kept my attention on Erin—the catcher—and began warming up. The top of the fifth inning finished with just three batters coming to the plate, two striking out and one hitting a grounder to second, which was easily fielded for the third out. I ran off the field with a huge smile on my face. This was the first inning that they hadn't scored at least one run. I was ecstatic!

I was the third batter that inning. I was still unable to look in the stands, but I could vaguely hear cheering. I tried to remain as focused on the game as possible so there wouldn't be any distractions. The first two batters got on base, one with a blooper over the third baseman's head, the other with a walk. The first pitch to me was inside, and I had to step out of the way to avoid being hit. The second pitch was a little high and outside—my favorite spot—and I stepped into it and drove it to deep center. I sprinted around the bases and got to third before the assistant coach, Keith, stopped me. I probably could have made it home, but didn't want to go against his command. We had taken their lead down to four. The next two batters struck out, and I thought I was going to be stranded on third. Finally, Allison, our left fielder, hit a base hit to short right field, allowing me to score. Our next batter struck out, but we ended the inning down by only three instead of six.

The next inning was three up, three down for both teams. In the top of the seventh, I allowed one hit, but no runs. We were still down by three and I was second up to bat. Ashley, our first baseman, led off and managed a base hit between left and center field. Next it was my turn at the plate. I took a deep breath and turned my focus to watch the ball. The pitcher made the mistake of giving me a nearly perfect pitch right down the middle, and I swung my bat as hard as possible. The ball just kept going, and as I watched it top the fence just beyond center field I couldn't help the fist pump I gave. I ran the bases and was greeted at home plate by my entire team. I received high fives and shouts of "Good job, Steph!" as I made my way back to the dugout.

By this point, I couldn't help but turn my attention to the stands. At some point during the game, my Grandma and Grandpa Mazur had arrived, along with Abuela Rosa. They were standing, along with Carlos, Les, and Bridget, cheering for me. I was beyond thrilled with how my first game was going! Up to bat after me was Tricia, our third baseman, who hit a single. By now, everyone in our dugout was standing and cheering. Erin was up after Tricia, and she hit a double to deep left, leaving Tricia at third. Allison was up next and she hit a single to deep right field, allowing both Tricia and Erin to score, winning us the game! I couldn't believe we had come back from being down by six runs at the top of the fifth inning and won the game. Our whole team was hugging each other and jumping up and down wildly. We had beaten Clemson in our first game of the season!

We calmed down enough to head onto the field and congratulate the Clemson Tigers for a game well played. I was near the end of the line, and when their coach reached me, he held my hand for an extra second and said, "If you get tired of Miami, give me a call."

I could hear Coach Thompson behind me say, "Don't count on it," as she shook his hand and we all practically bounced back to the dugout. The entire team was nothing but smiles as we collected our equipment. I was thrilled to have a win under my belt, and hoped to spend the rest of the day with Carlos. I was the last one gathering my things, but before I could leave, Coach Thompson grabbed my arm. She motioned to the bench and I sat down to talk to her.

"You did a really great job out there, Steph."

"Thank you!" I beamed back at her.

"I was going to wait until Monday to tell you about this, but considering the game you just had, I decided to go ahead and tell you now. The head of athletics, Dr. Roberts, and I have been going over the budget, and we found we had enough money for an additional scholarship. I would like to offer that scholarship to you."

I sat there gaping at her, unsure I had really heard what I thought I did. "For next year, right?"

"No. For this year. The tuition you've paid will be refunded, and anything additional that the scholarship pays will be included in that refund. It should be enough to be considered a full ride. I hope you'll stay with us at Miami through your entire college career."

I had no idea what to say. I blinked rapidly to clear the tears forming and had to cough a couple times in an attempt to remove the lump from my throat, before I could whisper, "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I'll see you bright and early Monday morning." With that she left the dugout, with me still sitting there on the bench trying to catch my breath.

I'm not sure how long I sat there before Carlos came into the dugout and sat beside me, gently taking my hand in his.

"You ok, Babe?"

I turned and looked at him with a dumbfounded smile on my face. "Oh my God, Carlos, I'm better than ok! Coach Thompson just offered me a scholarship. A full ride! For this year, no less!"

He scooped me up into his arms and captured my lips in a body-tingling kiss. I was lost in his embrace and was prepared to strip him down and ride him right there in the dugout, before I heard a throat clearing just outside.

We reluctantly pulled apart and Carlos whispered, "I'm so proud of you, Babe," before we turned to acknowledge our friends and family. We told the others of my scholarship news and decided we should all go out to celebrate.

We ended up at Sparky's, a local pizza parlor, celebrating over a greasy cheese and pepperoni with a couple of pitchers of Coke. Sparky's was a favorite local spot to watch sporting events, as it had large wall-mounted TVs all around. The screen closest to us had ESPN on, and they were reporting on various college sports from last night and earlier today. I was only vaguely aware that the television was on until I heard my name cross the announcer's lips.

My head shot up to look at the screen and the tables around us were instantly silent as we listened to the broadcaster say, "From the University of Miami today, newly joined freshman, Stephanie Plum from Trenton, New Jersey, pulled the Hurricanes back from a six-point deficit to overtake the Clemson Tigers in the first game of the season. The Tigers, who barely missed out on the College World Series last year, were the favorites to win today, with eight-to-one odds in their favor.

"I guess the odds weren't counting on Stephanie Plum," the female announcer stated, causing the table to break out cheering. I shushed them as she continued, "Plum led her team back in New Jersey to a state title last spring, pitching a no-hitter in the final game. Looks like the Miami Hurricanes might have a chance at going all the way with Plum on the team this year.

"In other news…"

The table turned their attention from the television after the story finished, and we were all shocked into silence for about 30 seconds before cheers erupted. We sat laughing and talking about the game, Grandma and Grandpa's Miami adventures, Alex and Mari's wedding plans, and school, before finally getting ready to leave. We flagged down our waiter for the bill; he told me it was on the house and congratulated me on the win.

We left, with promises that we'd all go to Abuela Rosa's house for dinner tomorrow. Les and Bridget had other plans for the afternoon, so Carlos and I headed back to my apartment. On the drive home, Carlos held my hand as it rested on his thigh, drawing small circles on the back with his thumb. When we were almost there, my parents called to congratulate me, and Daddy told me about the guys at the Lodge seeing the story on ESPN and calling him with congratulations. I was thrilled that my mom seemed to be coming around, and they were both incredibly thrilled for me when I told them about the scholarship. Valerie had made it back to Jersey that afternoon, and she shared in their enthusiasm, despite her horrible situation. She promised to call me later to chat.

Carlos told me he had talked to his family earlier, while I was talking to the coach, and they had extended their well wishes and congratulations as well. I felt like I was on cloud nine. Of course, when we entered the apartment, Carlos quickly made me feel like I was in seventh Heaven!

XXXXXXXXXX

The spring semester flew by. Between supporting Bobby through the end of basketball season, working, studying, softball practice, and games, Carlos and I had very little time together. We managed to sneak some time alone once a week, but it wasn't enough for either of us.

Softball had been going great, and even though we had lost some games, we still had a winning season. Carlos was thriving at Floyd's Security, and really seemed to enjoy that type of work. He helped them to rework their business plan, resulting in an increase in their profit margin.

Alex and Mari's wedding plans were coming together wonderfully. Mari had called me in mid-February to ask for help with some wedding errands. During the phone call, she asked if I would consider being a bridesmaid. I was so flattered that it took me a moment to respond. Before I could speak, she said, "Steph, I owe this whole wedding to you. Without your talk to Alex, I don't know if we would have ever gotten to this place. He is happier than I've ever seen him and we've even talked about when we will start trying for a family. As much as I thought a wedding would never happen, I thought a family together was even less likely. Please Steph! Please!"

This time I didn't hesitate, "Of course, Mari. I would be honored to stand up for you and Alex!"

"Perfect! Elizabeth, my best friend since grade school, is going to be my maid of honor, and she picked out your dress at David's Bridal. It's a beautiful light blue, which will look perfect with your eyes. It isn't expensive, but I'd be happy to send you some money to help pay for it."

"That's not necessary, Mari, but thanks for the offer." We continued talking for nearly an hour about school, work, softball, Alex, and Carlos before I needed to get off the phone and get back to studying.

Their wedding was only four weeks away when Elizabeth held a bridal shower for them in Utah, where Mari's family lived. They had it there instead of Colorado because Mari's friends from Denver were willing to travel. I went with Carlos for his tux fitting, and found myself drooling at just the _thought_ of him in a tuxedo.

I had also been busy with wedding details for Mary Lou, whose wedding was planned for July. She had me sketching out designs for how to decorate the reception hall, which I really enjoyed. I wanted to organize a shower for her in mid-June, after softball season would be over. Carlos planned to join in me in Jersey for the shower, and then we would return to Miami for the summer to work. I had a possible internship at a local Interior Design firm lined up, but wouldn't know for sure until after softball season.

Cal had been bunking with Bobby after a plumbing problem at his apartment. Since his lease was nearly up, and he was planning to leave at the end of May anyway, he decided to stay. They split the rent four ways—saving them each about $100 per month. Bobby joked that Bridget and I should move in after the guys left for boot camp and save us all some money. Bridget and I had discussed it, as had Carlos and I, and while it was looking like a possibility, nothing was decided yet.

Grandma and Grandpa were loving Miami. Grandpa's health was somewhat better than it was in Jersey, and Grandma loved Abuela Rosa. They spent a lot of time together. Maria had called me numerous times to tell me how happy she was that Grandma was living just down the street from Rosa, and that Rosa hadn't sounded this happy since Benjamin passed away. Everything seemed to be going perfectly…and then Mom called.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would _love_ to know what you think? Friday's submission will most definitely be delayed. My baby (almost 1) is sick and I haven't had a chance to log much computer time. But hang in there and I'll be back on Monday. Thank you for your understanding!**

**Amy**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

_Previously:_

_Grandma and Grandpa were loving Miami. Grandpa's health was somewhat better than it was in Jersey, and Grandma loved Abuela Rosa. They spent a lot of time together. Maria had called me numerous times to tell me how happy she was that Grandma was living just down the street from Rosa, and that Rosa hadn't sounded this happy since Benjamin passed away. Everything seemed to be going perfectly…and then Mom calle_d.

**Ch. 25**

"Hello?"

"Sniff…sniff."

"Hello? Mom, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure. Valerie was in a car accident. I need to go to the hospital, but my car is in the shop and I'm waiting for your father to get home. He was in a meeting, so it will still be a little while before I get there. I'm so worried."

"Do you know anything? What happened?"

"All I know is that she was hit on the driver's side, and was pinned in the car for a little bit. They're worried about the baby, because initially the heartbeat was hard to find through the fetal monitor. I think they were going to do an ultrasound, but that was the last I heard. I shouldn't even know _that_ yet, but Gina Magiolli—you remember her, she was a year older than Val in school? Anyway, she's a nurse intern at St. Francis, and she called to tell me."

"Is there anything I can do, Mom? Do I need to come home?"

"No. There isn't anything you could do, even if you were here. I know you have finals soon, and you still have softball. I'll keep you informed. I really just needed someone to talk to, and Mother and Daddy aren't answering their phone."

"They're probably at Rosa's. They spend a lot of time together."

"Your grandmother loves that woman. She's constantly telling me stories and laughing. I swear she sounds ten years younger."

"I'm so glad they have each other. Maria had told me how lonely Rosa was since her husband, Benjamin, passed away."

"Do you see them often? Is Daddy taking care of himself?"

"Carlos and I try to go over once in a while, but our time has been limited. He's working a lot of extra hours, and softball keeps me very busy! I even had to cut my hours back at work."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know how much you like working with the kids."

"I do. They're pretty special. By the way, Grandma and Grandpa have come to a lot of my games. Maria and Ricardo even came down once."

"Your father and I have really wanted to see a game, but he's been so busy with work—and now with Val being hurt, I'm not sure when we'll be able to."

"I understand." And I did. Though it didn't mean I wasn't a little disappointed.

"You have a game in Philly soon, right?"

"Yes. We play at Temple University next weekend."

"We'll do our very best to be there."

"Ok. I really hope you can."

"I promise you, Stephanie, we'll try to be there. Your father just walked in, so I need to go. I'll let you know as soon as we hear more details."

"Ok, Mom. Give Val my love, and tell her I'm thinking of her."

We said goodbye and I sank into my spot on the couch. I was so buried in my thoughts that I didn't even notice Carlos until he placed his hand on my shoulder and I jumped.

"You should be more aware of your surroundings, Babe."

I looked up at him and gave him a watery smile.

"Hey, what's wrong? Everything ok?"

"I'm not entirely sure. Valerie was in a car accident. They're worried about the baby, but Mom hasn't made it to the hospital yet, so she didn't have all the details."

"God, Babe, I'm so sorry. I hope she'll be ok."

"I hope so too." I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were working this afternoon."

"I was, but Jeff asked me to switch shifts with him for Saturday night. He's switched with me before so I didn't want to tell him no."

"But what about the team party on Saturday? I thought you were going with me."

"I know, Babe, I'm sorry."

I couldn't hold back a sigh. Carlos and I had hardly spent any time together lately, and I desperately wanted to relax with him on Saturday night. I was trying to be understanding, but it was hard.

We sat in silence, wrapped in each other's arms. Carlos ran his hand up and down my arm and placed gentle kisses on my forehead and in my hair. It was hard to stay angry with him, especially as he was warming me up in special places.

After a few minutes of cuddling, we moved to languid kissing, which only proved to further our arousal. Before I knew it, he lifted and carried me to my bedroom. We made love slowly and passionately, whispering "I love you" as we climaxed. It was gentle, sweet, loving: everything it should be. With each coupling, it was becoming harder and harder to not be together more often. I missed him. We saw each other briefly almost every day, and had time alone once a week, but I still missed him. It seemed like we had talked more often when I was in Miami and he was in Newark. As much as I loved softball, I honestly couldn't wait for a break so that we had more time together.

We were lying in bed, just enjoying each other's presence, when the phone rang. Normally I would have let it go, but since I was expecting a call back from my Mom, I got up and answered. "Hi, Mom. How's Val?" I asked, before sitting down on the bed next to Carlos.

"Well…she's hanging in there. She has a lot of scrapes and bruises as well as a broken leg, where it was trapped between the dashboard and the door. The baby seems to be doing ok, but they're worried about Val's blood pressure. It had been high the last two doctor's visits, but she thought it was associated with the stress from Steve and her move. The doctor thinks it might be early onset pre-eclampsia, because she had protein in her urine today. She's only about six months pregnant, so it's way too early to deliver. They're going to keep her at the hospital for a few days to see if her blood pressure will come down."

"What happens if it doesn't? And what's pre-eclampsia?"

"Pre-eclampsia is a condition where hypertension, which is high blood pressure, occurs during pregnancy. The only way to relieve it is to deliver the baby. But because she's only about 24 weeks pregnant, the chances of the baby surviving are small. If they don't get Val's blood pressure down, it could result in organ damage or even death for her and the baby, so they're keeping a close watch. It's possible she'll have to stay on bed rest the remainder of her pregnancy."

"Do they know what causes it?"

"It's caused by the way the placenta implanted, and somehow that negatively affects the blood vessels. And while the stress from her marriage problems and the accident aren't directly related to it, they certainly didn't help the situation."

"Have they checked on the baby?"

"Yes, they did an ultrasound. Val said the doctor gave her a picture of the ultrasound, and she looks perfect so far."

"It's a girl? Really? Val will be great with a little girl."

"I think so too." I heard her sigh before saying, "There was something else I wanted to tell you."

"What's that, Mom?"

"The person that hit her was Joe Morelli."

"WHAT?" Oh God! I hope this didn't have anything to do with my little hit and run last fall!

"He was on his way to take the entrance exam for the Trenton police academy and his brakes failed. He was so upset."

"Police academy? I thought he was in the Navy? And when did you see him?"

"He _was_ in the Navy. He finished his stint and has only been back in Trenton for a short while. After the accident, he called an ambulance and stayed to make sure Val got out of the car safely, and then followed her to the hospital. He missed his police exam because he refused to leave until he knew she was ok."

"That doesn't sound like the self-centered Joe _I_ know." That ass could take my virginity on the floor of the Tasty Pastry and then walk out without a second look, but he sticks around for Val? 

"He seems like he's matured a lot, Stephanie. Perhaps the Navy helped him grow up?"

"I don't need you singing his praises to me, Mom. It's a 'fool-me-once' kind of thing. And right now, I'm finding it hard to believe he's changed."

"Alright Stephanie. I'll drop it."

"Thank you. How's Daddy?"

"He's _fine_."

Hmmm, I wondered what that loaded _fine_ meant? "Ok. Well, tell him I said 'Hi'. I'll talk to you later."

"I will. Goodbye."

Carlos' hand was rubbing up and down my back, grazing my ass each time. "Everything ok, Babe?"

"More or less. She has a broken leg and her blood pressure is really high, but so far, everything is ok with the baby."

"You mentioned Joe. Is that _the_ Joe?"

"Yep. He's the one who hit her car. Apparently his brakes went out. Mom said he stuck by Valerie like glue until they said she was ok."

"Does that bother you?"

"Yes! No! I don't know," I said with a sigh. Before I got too lost in my thoughts, Carlos pulled me back until I was lying on the bed beside him and began kissing me senseless. I agreed—there had been enough talking.

_**Saturday night…**_

Going to a party when you are attached, but alone, really isn't much fun. After a very successful win today, I wanted nothing more than to relax and celebrate with my boyfriend. But instead, Carlos was covering for a guy at work, and I ended up going to the party alone. While there were a lot of people there, and I was having an ok time, it would have been so much nicer if Carlos had been there with me.

As the night progressed, everyone seemed to drink more and more. I wasn't 21 yet, and I also wasn't in a hurry to get in any kind of trouble and possibly lose my scholarship, so I refused any alcohol. Call me a Goody Two Shoes if you want, but I was sticking to Coke or water.

At about midnight, I was talking to Albert, Allison's boyfriend. He was really good looking, about six feet tall, with dark blue eyes and short brown hair. He certainly wasn't as well-built as Carlos or Les, but he had a nice body. He was a little shy and didn't like to mingle, and he was pretty funny. His secret dream was to be a comedian, but his parents convinced him he would make a better living as a lawyer, although he didn't really strike me as the cutthroat type. He'd had quite a bit to drink, and while I wouldn't exactly call what he was doing flirting, I could see how it could be viewed that way. Allison, who had also had quite a bit to drink, was definitely flirting with Josh, a guy from the baseball team. I'm not sure Albert noticed, and I wasn't going to point it out. I wasn't flirting back, but I _was_ laughing at his jokes.

He was standing very close to me, telling me everything from knock-knock jokes to naughty ones, when someone bumped him from behind and he spilled his beer all down my front. He quickly grabbed napkins and, against my protests, tried to help clean me up. It was precisely at that moment that I felt a tingle on the back of my neck, which could only mean one thing. Just as I turned to look for Carlos, he appeared, jerking Albert away from me and growling, "MINE!" Because Albert was more than slightly intoxicated, he stumbled backwards when Carlos grabbed him, and fell into a table causing drinks to fly everywhere.

I went from amused to rhino mode in less than a second and shouted, "What the hell is wrong with you?" just as the music shut off, allowing everyone at the party to hear me.

Carlos glanced around the room and then his eyes met mine, "We should go outside."

"I'm not going anywhere with you until you answer me. What did you think you were doing?"

"He had his hands all over you, Stephanie!"

"He was drunk and had spilled his beer. He was trying to help me clean up. I admit it probably didn't look very good, but it was innocent!" I shouted back. All eyes were on us, but I wasn't backing down.

"And the flirting and laughing? Was that innocent too?"

"I was TALKING to him! Am I not allowed to talk to another guy?" I was working very hard to stay angry, because if I showed how I _really_ felt, I would be crying in front of everyone.

"It looked like more than talking to me."

"Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Stephanie. Can we please continue this outside?" he asked, lowering his voice. I guess he didn't like the scene we were making.

I reluctantly nodded and followed him out to the front porch. "What are you even doing here, Carlos? I thought you were working."

"I'm on my dinner break. I wanted to spend a little time with my girlfriend. Is that not allowed?"

"Of course it is, Carlos. I wanted nothing more than to spend the evening with you, but I understand that you had to work. Can't you understand that I was just trying to make it through the party, and to do that, I couldn't just stand there like a wallflower and not talk to anybody?"

He put his head down but didn't say anything. I didn't want to stay mad at him. And if I was being honest, I kind of liked the possessiveness. "So, I'm yours, huh?"

He stared directly into my eyes as he reached out to pull me closer. "I sure hope so."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him before saying, "Only if you're mine."

"I'm completely yours, Babe."

"Good to know, Batman."

He dropped his head and chuckled. The "Batman" card worked every time.

XXXXXXXXXX

It had been a week since the party. Carlos and I had agreed not to jump to conclusions about the other again, but we also made a commitment to spend more time together as soon as school was out. Carlos admitted that his limited time with me was starting to wear on him, and while he really wanted to be supportive, he needed more. I completely agreed, but we both conceded there was nothing we could do about it until school was out. Thankfully we didn't have much longer before the semester was over.

It was the first week of May when the trouble on campus began, or at least when the University decided to clue us in to the problem. Apparently, there had been a series of rapes on and around campus, increasing in frequency in late April.

With five rapes so far this semester, everyone was encouraged to travel in groups, not go off with anyone you didn't know, and protect your drinks at social gatherings—the standard warnings. Carlos was very nervous any time I had to be somewhere after dark and he couldn't go with me. He got me a whistle and a small can of Mace to attach to my keys, and tried to get me to carry a stun gun, but I thought that was going too far and said no. All of my classes were in the middle of the day, so I promised to avoid being out on campus after dark.

The next Monday evening Nancy called and begged me to work, as she was shorthanded. I had finals in two days and didn't really want to go in, but considering how flexible she had been for me, I didn't feel I could say no. The kids were happy to see me on a Monday, instead of my normal Tuesday/Thursday, and everything went smoothly. When work was over at six, I was just ready to head out when Nancy called me into her office. She wanted to show me pictures of her living room, as she had finished the renovations using my recommendations. It looked beautiful and she was so happy. She asked me if I would help her to redecorate her bedroom also, and offered to pay me. I told her I didn't want any money, and that I'd be happy to help if I could use the work I did for her as a reference in the future. She agreed, showed me pictures of what her bedroom looked like now, and we talked about the changes she wanted. I told her I'd work on pulling together some samples for her just as soon as finals were over. By the time I was ready to leave her office, it was after eight.

I searched my purse for my cell phone, but it wasn't there. I hoped Carlos wouldn't be worried since he hadn't heard from me all evening. I used Nancy's office phone to call him, but he didn't answer his cell and no one answered at the apartment. I figured he must be working and decided to just head home.

As I was walking to my car, I had a weird tingling feeling on the back of my neck that raised goosebumps on my arms. I looked around, but didn't see anyone. I was just putting the keys into my car door to unlock it when someone grabbed me from behind. My whistle and Mace were attached to my keys, now uselessly hanging from the door. I tried to scream, but there was a hand over my mouth.

I kicked and squirmed with everything I had, but couldn't break the hold his arms had on me. As I struggled, the hand over my mouth moved enough that I could bite it. I chomped down hard, and he swore and let go. Screaming at the top of my lungs, I tried to run, but the guy caught one of my arms and spun me around. I felt the punch to my face just before everything went dark.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would _love_ to know what you think? I have family visiting for the next two weeks, so I will only be posting on Mondays and Fridays. I appreciate your understanding.**

**Amy**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. Thank you also to everyone who has been reviewing the story. The reviews really do drive me! And for those of you who recently added this as a story alert or a favorite story, I truly appreciate it, and WELCOME!**

**Just a reminder, my story is taking place in 2001. I know that Universities are more careful now about getting information to students, but that wasn't the case 11 years ago.**

_Previously:_

_I kicked and squirmed with everything I had, but couldn't break the hold his arms had on me. As I struggled, the hand over my mouth moved enough that I could bite it. I chomped down hard, and he swore and let go. Screaming at the top of my lungs, I tried to run, but the guy caught one of my arms and spun me around. I felt the punch to my face just before everything went dark. _

**Ch. 26**

**Carlos' POV**

I hadn't seen Stephanie all day, and was hoping to have dinner with her. I was originally scheduled to work that evening, but with finals so close, I had asked for shorter hours that week. Normally I would just power through, but I had some pretty tough classes this semester and needed to do well.

With the recent developments on campus, I had convinced my boss at Floyd's to put in a bid offering more campus surveillance after dark. We had won the contract and Mike was so pleased he gave me a small bonus, which meant I could afford to work fewer hours that week. The recent developments also had me concerned for Stephanie. I hadn't gone as crazy as Les—being late for nearly every evening class, making sure Bridget got to her classes and home safely—but we had talked and she agreed to carry a whistle and Mace on her keys. I couldn't get her to go for the stun gun, but something was better than nothing. And she promised me she would be careful.

After calling her cell phone for two hours with no response, I headed to campus to look for her in the library. Not finding her there, I decided to go to her apartment and see if she was there.

Bridget, who seemed to be annoyed when she answered the door, greeted me. "Hey, Carlos. What's up?"

"I was looking for Steph. Is she here?"

"No."

"Are you ok, Bridget? You look a little pissed about something."

"Les is driving me nuts! We got into a huge fight about me not going to the library because he had class and couldn't walk me. I told him I was a big girl, but he pushed and pushed until I promised I'd stay here."

"I know it's frustrating, but Les is right. You shouldn't be out after dark alone right now. It just isn't safe."

"I know. Which is why I agreed to stay here. Doesn't mean I have to be happy about it."

I couldn't hold back my smile. She playfully punched me in the shoulder and then laughed herself. Even though it was a stressful situation, I was glad she was taking it in stride.

"So, do you have any idea where Steph might be? I've been trying her cell but she isn't answering."

"I know. I found her phone ringing on the hall table. That's usually where she sets her purse, so I'm guessing it fell out and she didn't notice. She left me a note that she got called in to work."

"She should be home by now though—she finishes at 6." Something was wrong, I could feel it. "I'm going to go back out and look for her. You stay here, ok?"

"I promised Les, so I'll be here."

I ran out the door and jumped in my car. I noticed my cell in the cupholder and realized I had forgotten my own phone. I had a missed call from an unfamiliar number, and I tried calling it back. When the answering machine finally picked up, it told me it was Steph's boss' line, so I started the car and headed that way. The elementary school was just a few blocks from campus, on the opposite side from Steph and Bridget's apartment. Normally it's a quick drive, but the minutes seemed to be taking hours.

I broke just about every traffic law on the way there. I was just pulling up outside the school when I spotted two guys fighting, and a younger boy—who looked a lot like Julio—leaning over a body on the ground. Steph's Bug was nearby, and I noticed her keys dangling in the door.

"¡Madre de Dios!"

**Julio's POV**

Hector picked me up from the after-school program to spend the evening with him. He's usually out with his "friends", so the fact that he had some time for me made me happy.

I loved spending time with him. Since our Mom died three years ago, it had been just him, Dad, and me. Shortly after Mom died, Hector joined the gang. I knew it was because of his anger from Mom dying—he claimed her death wasn't an accident. I was still too young to know the details, or so Dad and Hector said; all I knew is that Hector wanted revenge, and he felt the best way to get it was through this gang. I'd tried to tell him that I didn't want to lose him too, but it hadn't changed anything.

We were on our way home from the grocery store. Hector had bought some frozen burritos for dinner; personally I wanted pizza, but I wasn't going to complain. He had also bought a big bottle of Coke. Soda was a special treat for us, and I couldn't wait to get home and have some. We were just walking up the street by the school when I noticed a guy and girl struggling. The guy had one arm around her waist, holding her in the air, and the other hand was covering her mouth. The girl managed to scream and tried to get away. He jerked her around and punched her in the face. Right before his hand connected and she fell to the ground, I realized that it was Stephanie!

I yelled, "That's Stephanie!" I had told Hector all about Carlos, Stephanie, and Les, so with a nod, he rushed toward the guy and grabbed him just as he unzipped his pants and started dragging her off the sidewalk toward some bushes. The guy stumbled but came back fighting. I tuned out the fight and focused on Stephanie. When I leaned over her, I realized she was unconscious. I could see she had a black eye forming, and the entire side of her face was already badly swollen.

I was still staring at her face and holding her hand when I heard a car screech to a stop behind me. As I turned around, I saw Carlos leap out and punch Hector in the gut. I yelled to Carlos that he had the wrong guy, just as the other dude got up and turned to run away. Carlos glanced at me and recognition sunk in. He turned back toward the bad guy with a growl. Thankfully, his punch hadn't slowed Hector down much, and he was behind the bad guy in a matter of seconds, helping Carlos. They circled him with a ferociousness I had never before witnessed. It sort of reminded me of the way a pack of wild animals surround their prey. I was really glad the looks on their faces weren't directed at me!

**Carlos' POV**

I flew out of the car towards Steph. There were two guys fighting, and Steph was lying motionless on the ground. Seeing that she was still breathing, I decided to handle the guys first.

One of the fighters looked completely out of place in this neighborhood. He was a clean-cut white guy, not overly tall, maybe six feet, with brown hair. He didn't look like he would stand out in a crowd. The other guy looked far more threatening. He was Latino, maybe an inch or two taller than Steph, with dark skin, dark hair cropped short, and dark dangerous eyes. I could tell that he noticed me approaching, but he did nothing to defend himself when I hauled back and punched him. The hit caught him off-guard and he doubled over for a second, long enough for the boy with Steph to yell, "You're hitting the wrong guy! That's my brother Hector!"

I glanced over and realized that the younger kid was Julio, as I had suspected, and turned my sights to the white guy. I gave him a speculative look and saw that his nose was bleeding and his pants were unzipped. The pants sent me into an uncontrollable rage. I had never felt this much anger toward anyone, not even Manuel. I felt a fire burning in my stomach and I wanted nothing more than to tear him limb from limb.

I took a step toward him and he took two steps back like he was about to run away. I felt an evil grin cross my face as I realized Julio's brother had circled around behind him and we had the bad guy surrounded. The perp turned, saw Hector, and froze. We both lunged at him and fists started flying. I caught one hit to the gut and another to the jaw—at least one of those may have come from Hector.

When the fighting stopped, I looked down at the guy on the ground at my feet. He had more damage than I expected. His lip was split and bleeding; his nose was crooked and bleeding heavily; he had a nasty bruise on his jaw, and it was sitting at an awkward angle—possibly dislocated or broken; his right eye seemed to be swelling shut; and judging by the angle of his wrist, I guessed that was broken too.

He was moaning and groaning softly, with his "good" arm draped over his stomach—hmm, maybe we broke a few ribs too? I glanced over at Julio, who was gaping at us both with Steph's hand still in his. I looked back at Hector and we stared at each other for a moment.

"¿Eres Héctor?" _(You're Hector?)_

"Si." _(Yes)_

"Lo siento…" I was getting ready to apologize for mistaking him as the bad guy and hitting him when we heard sirens. We all looked around, wondering who might have called the police, but didn't see anybody. I turned my attention back to Julio and Hector.

"Hector, you shouldn't be here when the police come," Julio said. I could see the fear in his eyes.

"Go. I'll make sure Julio gets home safe after we talk to the police," I told Hector. If I had learned anything from Manuel and his gang, it was that Hector didn't want to be here when the cops arrived. They would find a way to pin this on him.

Hector nodded and turned. I glanced at Julio and when I looked back up, Hector was gone; he'd disappeared like smoke.

I heard moaning from the ground, only it wasn't the bad guy this time, it was Stephanie. It brought me back to where I was and I immediately sank to the ground next to her. I told Julio to keep an eye on the other guy. He seemed injured badly enough that he wasn't likely to be going anywhere, but I wanted to be sure.

The sirens got louder just as Steph opened her eyes. I could see confusion and pain written across her face. Pulling her up into my arms and holding her tight, I whispered "You're ok, I've got you", over and over in her ear.

**Steph's POV**

I was slowly becoming conscious. It felt like I'd been hit by a truck and was wondering when my bed got so uncomfortable. I opened my eyes to see Carlos leaning over me with a concerned look on his face. Where the hell was I, and what happened?

Carlos instantly pulled me close to him, whispering that I was ok, as he slowly rocked me back and forth. Moments later, police cars surrounded us and an ambulance barreled toward us. I looked around and noticed Julio talking to a police officer, and a very bruised and beaten guy lying on the ground. The guy looked familiar but I couldn't place him.

Carlos helped me into an ambulance just as another was pulling up. The guy on the ground was lifted onto a gurney. I looked over as one of the cops took his wrist and cuffed it to the railing. I was still somewhat confused by what happened, but I was too tired to question it. I let the darkness take me again.

**Carlos' POV**

I stood on the sidewalk watching the ambulance as it prepared to transport an unconscious Stephanie to the hospital. Still on an adrenaline high, I was having trouble focusing on what the cops were asking me. I could faintly hear Julio saying that he had been walking home alone from the store, and saw the guy attacking Steph just as I pulled up.

I returned my focus to the police officer questioning me, and gave him my own version of the story…leaving out Hector. I explained that I was Stephanie's boyfriend, and that when I hadn't been able to get ahold of her, I went looking for her at work. I explained the trouble around campus, and that the proximity of the elementary school to campus had me nervous. The cop nodded knowingly, indicating he had heard about the rapes.

The cops seemed to accept our stories. They told us that we would need to come down to the station to give a formal statement later, but that we were currently free to go.

I turned to Julio, determined to keep my promise to Hector to get him home safely. We decided I would drive him; that way I could get to the hospital faster. We had barely turned the first corner when we saw Hector step out of the shadows. Julio wanted to get out and walk with his brother, but instead I encouraged Hector to get in. By driving them home I would know where they lived, so I could pay them a visit later.

After dropping them off, I rushed to the closest hospital, University of Miami Hospital. I was fervently hoping that was where they had taken Stephanie—I had forgotten to find out where they were going! I got lucky, and found her in the ER, having tests run. They needed next of kin to sign some papers, so I reluctantly pulled out my phone and dialed Steph's grandparents' house. When I didn't receive an answer, I dialed Abuela.

"¡Hola!" She answered on the second ring.

"Hola, Abuela. It's Carlos. You don't happen to know where Steph's grandparents are, do you?"

"Of course, mijo! They are here. We had dinner together and were just enjoying our dessert and a cup of coffee. Is something wrong?"

I sighed heavily. This was not something I wanted to tell them over the phone. "Yes, something is wrong. I need them to come to the University of Miami Hospital ER. Steph was attacked, and they need next of kin to sign approval for the tests they need to run.

Abuela gasped, and I could hear her explaining what I had just said to Edna and Harry Mazur. "We'll be there as soon as possible, Carlito."

"Gracias, Abuela," I said before disconnecting. One down, one to go. The next call I was _really_ dreading.

"Plum residence," Steph's mom answered on the second ring.

"Hello, Mrs. Plum. This is Carlos Manoso, Stephanie's friend."

"Yes, Carlos. Of course. How are you dear? Is everything alright?"

"No ma'am. Stephanie was attacked this evening outside of the elementary school where she works."

Helen gasped. "Attacked? What do you mean, 'attacked'? Is she OK?"

"I don't know all the details, but she wasn't raped. The guy punched her and knocked her out as she was getting into her car. She regained consciousness at the scene, but only for a short while. I'm at the hospital right now, and Mr. and Mrs. Mazur are on their way with my Abuela. I would love to be able to tell you right now that Stephanie is perfectly fine, but I can't, as I don't know that for sure. I can tell you that her attacker is in custody."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few moments before Helen spoke, saying, "Will you please have my mother or father call me when they can tell me more about Stephanie's condition? I'm not sure if Frank and I will both be able to come down there, but if it's even slightly serious, we'll find a way for at least one of us to come."

"Yes. I'll tell them."

"And Carlos?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"As soon as you can, please tell Stephanie that we love her."

"I will, Mrs. Plum. Goodbye."

I disconnected and was just getting ready to call Bridget when a nurse came through calling for the family of Stephanie Plum.

"I'm her boyfriend. The only family she has in Miami is her grandparents, and they're on their way."

"Well dear, I'm sorry, but I can't give you much information. I can tell you that she's stable, and as soon as we have permission, we'll perform a few tests to make sure there isn't anything seriously wrong with her."

"Do you know why she's still unconscious?"

"My best guess is that the hit to the face knocked her out, but shock can also cause unconsciousness. Hopefully we'll know more soon."

Just then, Steph's grandparents came barreling into the ER, along with my Abuela. Wow, I guess one of them drives even crazier than me!

XXXXXXXXX

It had been about two hours since Stephanie arrived at the hospital, and she still wasn't awake. I was starting to get nervous, but the doctors assured all of us that she would most likely wake up any minute. Besides the black eye and swollen face, the only things they could find wrong with her were a very, very minor concussion and a knot on the back of her head where she hit the ground.

I was sitting beside the bed next to her, holding her hand tightly, whispering "Steph, please wake up. Let me see those beautiful blue eyes. You scared the crap out of me, do you know that? When I couldn't reach you, I didn't know what to think. You promised me you would be careful. Why didn't you walk out with Nancy? What were you doing out so late without your cell? Do you know what it would do to me if I lost you right now? Do you have any idea how much I love you? Because I do, Steph. I love you. I'm _in_ _love_ with you. Please wake up so I can tell you how much I love you. So I can show you how much I love you."

Just as I leaned back in my chair to rest my eyes for a moment, I felt her stir. My eyes popped open and I saw the most beautiful pair of blue eyes staring back at me. I exhaled past the enormous lump in my throat, and rasped "Babe!"

**Steph's POV**

I felt like I was floating. I could hear Carlos whispering to me, and I'm pretty sure I heard him say he was in love with me. I forced myself to wake up so that I could tell him that I loved him too. I had no idea where we were or why I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, but gradually realized I was waking up in a hospital room. Carlos was sitting by my bed with his eyes closed, and my hand in his.

I shifted slightly and he instantly opened his eyes and looked at me. With a huge sigh, he said, "Babe!" and leaned in, laying his head on the bed. I noticed his shoulders shaking, and if I didn't know better I would have thought he was crying. I moved my left hand to run my fingers through his hair as he held my right hand tightly.

"Hey, I'm ok," I managed to croak. Carlos sat up to look at me with tears in his eyes, before he turned—wiping his nose on the back of his hand—and brought a cup of water to my lips. I took a sip from the straw, which helped a bit with the dryness in my throat.

"What happened?"

"What do you remember?" he asked. I had to fight through the fog in my brain to remember that I had been at work talking to Nancy, before leaving the office much later than I should have. I remembered a guy attacking me from behind, and then I remembered being punched and it was lights out.

I lifted my hand to my eye where the guy had hit me before saying, "I was attacked."

Carlos nodded and studied my face to see if that was all I remembered.

"I don't think anything happened, but I don't remember. I'm sore, but not sore-sore if you know what I mean."

"I know what you mean, Babe. He didn't get that far, thankfully."

"Who stopped him?"

Carlos smiled before saying, "Julio."

"Julio? Really?" I asked, grinning. I knew that kid was special.

"Really. With some help from me. And we got the guy—he's in jail." Before Carlos could say anything else, the door to my room opened and in walked Grandma, Grandpa, and Abuela Rosa. They surrounded me, each giving me a gentle hug and a kiss to my forehead.

Carlos left the room to give us some privacy while I talked to my grandparents and Abuela Rosa. Grandma sat beside my bed, holding my hand, and I could see the concern written all over her face.

"Grandma, I'm fine. A slight headache and a few bruises, but I'm ok. I promise."

"I've heard about the problems on campus, and I've been so worried that something bad would happen to you. And it did."

"Grandma, no it didn't. The guy didn't get that far. Carlos saved me and I'm fine. And now…the bad guy is in jail."

Grandma heaved a heavy sigh and then started crying. I sat up more in my bed, and pulled her closer to me so I could wrap my arms around her. I whispered over and over that I was fine, while I slowly rocked her. I'm not sure how long we sat there, but when her tears dried, I realized that Carlos had returned and saw that he had been crying too. I gave him a watery smile, but before anyone could speak a doctor entered the room.

He gave me a quick exam and declared that I was free to go home. Everyone but Grandma left the room, and she helped me get dressed. She gave me a heads up: "Your mother is worried sick. You should call her as soon as you get a chance."

"I'll call her as soon as I get home."

XXXXXXXXX

It had been a week since the "incident", as I'd taken to calling it. The guy who had attacked me was Aaron—the same Aaron who had helped Les move me into my dorm room when I arrived on campus. The police believed he was the same guy who had been attacking girls on and around campus all semester. They also suspected that he could be responsible for several other rapes over the last two years, but so far he hadn't admitted to anything. Thankfully, he hadn't been very smart, and they were running his DNA against samples they had from the girls attacked. I would never have suspected him as a rapist—he seemed too shy and polite—but I guess that just proves that anyone can be a psycho.

I had given my statement to the police, but I couldn't tell them much about what happened. I remembered being grabbed from behind, I remembered screaming, and I remembered being hit in the face. The next thing I knew, I was waking up in the hospital. Carlos told me I was awake at the scene, but I didn't remember it.

Carlos and Julio had given their statements. The district attorney who was building the case against Aaron said we would all need to testify, as my case was being tried separately from the rapes, since he only assaulted me. He told us that by the time of his arraignment, Aaron had retained some high-priced, very slick lawyer who somehow got him released on bail. He also said that it would take anywhere between six months and a year before he went to trial, unless he took a plea earlier.

I found that I was jumpy, constantly looking over my shoulder, afraid he would come back to finish what he started. I tried to put it out of my head as much as I could, but didn't have much luck. I was barely able to focus through finals, but thankfully did well enough for it not to affect my GPA.

My bruises had mostly healed, and other than my nerves, I was back to normal. Les learned about the latter through an up-close-and-personal encounter. It was only two days after the incident and I was walking on campus after finishing my second final. Tired and still sore, my head and face both aching, I was kind of lost in my thoughts when someone came up from behind and grabbed my arm. I instantly reacted by screaming and turning, using my knee to jam his manhood into hiding somewhere near his throat. He squealed and his eyes seemed to roll back into his head before he fell to the ground. I barely registered this, as after my initial response I collapsed, crying, tucking my body defensively into a ball.

Thankfully, Bridget was just behind Les, and she was able to get me calmed down and back to our apartment. She called Bobby and Cal to come get Les and help him back to his place. I felt horrible and I apologized profusely to Les that night; he told me he understood and that he shouldn't have grabbed me.

After seeing how jumpy I was, Bridget convinced me that we should go ahead and move in with Carlos and Bobby. Carlos and I would share one bedroom, Bobby would still have his own, and Bridget and Les would share the third bedroom until he left for the Army in a month. I hated that he was leaving, and hoped that their relationship would survive the distance.

Carlos and I had been talking about the incident a lot. He told me about Hector being there, and that he had helped to take Aaron down. When I asked why Hector didn't stick around, and why Carlos hadn't mentioned him before, he explained that because of Hector's gang involvement, contact with the police was risky. I was extremely grateful to Hector, and hoped to see him one day after work so I could thank him.

Talking to my parents right after the incident had been exhausting. My mother spent our time on the phone crying and telling me that Miami was entirely too dangerous a place to live. She said that I needed to come home and bring Grandma and Grandpa with me. When I adamantly refused, saying this could have happened anywhere, she hung up on me. We hadn't talked since, but I had talked to Daddy. He said she was just worried about me, but I thought she had a funny way of showing it.

Maria and Ricardo were equally worried, but just kept telling me how thankful they were that I wasn't hurt worse and that the bad guy had been caught. They suggested I take out a restraining order against Aaron, so that if he did try to come after me, I would at least have legal recourse. We talked to the district attorney about this the next day, and he was able to get us into court to get one that afternoon. It made me feel only a little bit better: in truth, what real protection could a piece of paper offer?

And speaking of paper, Carlos and I had been interviewed by every newspaper in the area. The campus newspapers, The Miami Herald, The Miami Sun, and even the television news stations had asked us about the incident. We had given them all the details we could, minus Hector's involvement, and told them we hoped that Aaron would pay for his actions.

Carlos had stuck to me like glue, and when he was working either Bobby, Cal, or Les were with me. Les drove me to and from work, Cal was always in the stands at softball practice, and they all tried to be there for games. I appreciated the support, but I felt like I was being smothered. If they didn't back off soon, I was going to have to ditch the "bodyguards" and go hide at Grandma and Grandpa's.

**Carlos' POV**

I had never been so scared in my entire life. Seeing Stephanie lying in that bed unconscious…it was horrible. I wanted to take her and hide her away so that nothing bad could ever happen to her again. I also realized how much I really loved her. It was a love that I never thought possible. We were still young and had a lot of life ahead of us, but I could only hope that I would be spending the rest of my life with Stephanie in it.

The first two days after the incident were a little hairy. I couldn't focus on anything but Stephanie, and finals were only a day away. I tried studying, but wasn't very successful. And with Aaron being released, Stephanie was nervous. I knew I couldn't keep my eyes on her 24/7, so I went to someone who I hoped would help us.

I knocked on Julio and Hector's front door the next night. A gruff-looking older man opened the door with a brisk, "¿Qué quieres?" _(What do you want?)_

I asked to speak to Hector, and with a speculative look he yelled for him.

Hector came to the door and I noticed an ever-so-slight widening of his eyes: he was surprised to see me. He invited me in and we went through the house—which was a disaster—to the back patio. It was less visible from the road, and I'm guessing that was why he chose that spot to talk, instead of the front porch.

"¿Qué quieres?"

Hmm…like father, like son. "I wanted to thank you for helping Stephanie."

"Julio really likes her, and you too. I did it because he asked me."

"Julio is a great kid."

Hector nodded.

"I also came to ask you for a favor."

"And what do I get in return?" I wasn't surprised that he wanted to know what was in it for him.

"I'll owe you one."

He gave me a long, hard gaze before nodding his head slightly. I continued, "That scrumbag who attacked Steph is out on bail. We got a restraining order, but you and I both know that's barely worth the paper it's written on, and if he wants to attack her again it won't stop him."

"So what do you want from me?"

"I just want you to keep your eyes and ears open. Keep an eye out for him and let me know if you hear anything suspicious. I don't think he's going to stop attacking girls just because he's waiting for trial. In fact, I think it may escalate."

"Ok."

I nodded. "Ok."

When he didn't say anything else, I stood and left. Man, this guy could give Manuel a run for his money.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would _love_ to know what you think? Just a reminder that I have family visiting, so I will only be posting on Mondays and Fridays through next week. I appreciate your understanding.**

**Amy**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing the story! I cannot believe I have more than 400 reviews. I'm seriously on cloud nine! I missed responding to a few this week, so if I missed you, please know that I really appreciate the constant support!**

**I know this chapter is a little bit shorter, but I hope you enjoy anyway!**

_Previously:_

_I nodded. "Ok."_

_When he didn't say anything else, I stood and left. Man, this guy could give Manuel a run for his money._

**Stephanie's POV**

There are definitely pros and cons to living with Carlos. Pro? Sex every single night—great sex! Ok, _really_ great sex. Con? He's been way too overprotective of me since Aaron got out on bail. I'm not quite sure what he's worried about: I saw the damage he and Hector did to Aaron. Even if he wanted to come after me, I don't think he would be physically able to.

It seemed like when we weren't making love, we were arguing. Carlos wanted someone to be with me practically 24/7. He, of course, was with me whenever he wasn't working. However, since he had started at Floyd's, their business had grown quite a bit, which meant he was working a lot. He had pushed and pushed that if Les, Cal, or Bobby weren't available to go with me, he wanted me to stay in. That just wasn't possible. I was working and still had softball—and the guys had lives of their own.

The fighting escalated about two weeks before Alex and Mari's wedding. Mari had called and asked if I could run a couple of errands for her. It was mid-afternoon, and all of the guys were at work. Since I was off on Saturdays, I had just been hanging out at the apartment. Without really thinking, I grabbed my purse and car keys and ran to the party store to pick up the favors and centerpieces that Mari had ordered. I drove them to Abuela Rosa's for her to store until the wedding.

Rosa wasn't around, but she had given me a key a few months ago, so I let myself in and took the supplies to the guest room where she was storing things for the wedding. I spent a little time sorting through everything to get a good inventory of what she already had. I catalogued all the items so that I could make sure Mari wasn't missing anything. I knew she probably had her own list, but I wanted to help her avoid any last-minute rushing to find what was still needed. I also figured this experience would help me with Mary Lou's wedding coming up in July. I lost track of how long I spent there, and the sun was already mostly set by the time I walked back into the apartment.

An extremely angry Cuban greeted me with a gruff, "Where the hell have you been?" It immediately sent me into rhino mode.

"I've been out. The last time I checked, you weren't my father, which means I don't have to inform you of my every move!" I was shouting already, but I just couldn't help it.

"Damn it, Stephanie. Do you know how worried I was? I've been looking for you all over. You left your damn cellphone here again. You don't take your safety seriously, Stephanie. How am I supposed to protect you if you don't take it seriously?"

"I don't need you to protect me!"

"What if Aaron had found you when you were 'out'? I had no clue where you were. Who would have saved you this time?"

"If I recall correctly, Hector and Julio saved me the first time." I could feel the anger radiating off of his body at that statement. "Besides, based on the damage you and Hector did to Aaron, I don't expect him to come after me anytime soon."

He stood and glared at me with his arms folded across his chest. After not saying anything to each other for who knows how long, I stormed into the bedroom. I wasn't going to have my every move policed by my boyfriend. I was 19 years old, and I didn't need to report to anyone. I grabbed a duffle and began stuffing clothes into it. Ten minutes and two dufflebags later, I headed through the living room to the front door. Carlos had been calming himself down in the kitchen and rushed out after me. He grabbed my wrist just before I reached the door, pulling me into his arms.

"Where are you going, Babe?" he whispered into my hair, with his arms wrapped tightly around me.

"I'm going to go stay at my grandparents' house for a little while."

"Why?"

"I just need to. Please let go of me."

He released me and I walked to the door. "I'll be back to get the rest of my things later."

Carlos didn't say anything, and I didn't wait for him to. I shut the door behind me, tears running down my face, and headed to my car.

I barely made it two blocks before I had to pull over because the tears were making it impossible to see the road. After my vision cleared, I continued on to my grandparents' house.

Grandma greeted me at the front door, a look of concern on her face. "What's the matter, baby granddaughter? What are the bags about?"

"Would it be alright if I stayed with you and Grandpa for a little while?"

"Of course. You know you're always welcome here. You want to talk about why?"

"Not really. Right now, I'd just like to go to sleep."

"Alright baby girl. Let's get you settled."

Grandma led me into the spare bedroom, which was already made up. She gave me a kiss on the cheek and closed the door to give me privacy. I pulled out my clothes and arranged them in the closet and drawers before stripping to my tank top and panties. Then I climbed into bed, got under the covers, and cried myself to sleep.

After a restless night, I pulled on a pair of jogging shorts and a T-shirt before heading into the kitchen. I didn't realize how much having Carlos next to me helped me to sleep. Grandma was sitting at the breakfast table drinking her coffee when I ambled in.

"Good morning, baby girl. How did you sleep?"

"Not so well."

"Here. Sit down and I'll fix you some breakfast," Grandma said, patting the spot next to her before standing.

"I'm not that hungry. Could I just have some toast with peanut butter and a banana?"

"Of course." Grandma rushed around the kitchen, preparing my small breakfast. She brought it to the table with a glass of milk and sat next to me as I ate.

"So. Are you going to tell me what happened between you and the hottie?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"Grandma!" I laughed.

"Ok, sorry. Carlos. But you have to admit he's a hottie," she said, winking at me.

She was right, Carlos _was_ a hottie, but it was hilarious to hear my grandma calling him that. With a huge sigh, I started to explain. "He's just been so overprotective since the attack happened, and I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Do you have any idea how worried that boy was? I saw it in his face. He was scared."

"I know that, Grandma. But he doesn't give me any room to breathe. He's more strict about my comings and goings than Mom _ever_ was."

"He just wants to make sure you're safe."

"I know," I sighed. I did know, but I didn't like the way he went about it.

"Did you tell him that he was smothering you?"

"No."

"So how could he know how you feel?"

"I don't know, Grandma," I sighed. "I don't know."

"You should talk to him."

"I will. I just want to cool off a little bit first."

"Alright. And even if you talk to him, you are always welcome to stay here."

"Thank you."

I finished breakfast before heading to the bathroom to shower and get ready. I wasn't ready to go back and talk to Carlos; instead I headed to the mall. I didn't need anything, but just to get lost shopping for a while would be the best therapy for me.

Several hours later, I went back to Grandma and Grandpa Mazur's house. I had eaten lunch at the mall food court, and dinner was still a few hours away, so I took advantage of the free time and went to take a nap. Sleep eluded me as I lay there and rehashed Carlos' words. Had I really been careless? I didn't think so. I hadn't gone anywhere alone—well, other than the party store and Rosa's. I did forget my cell, but that was an honest mistake.

I finally fell asleep and slept through dinner, not waking until the next morning. And when I did wake up, I thought there was a wild animal in the room. It turned out to be my stomach protesting the lack of food. I padded out to the kitchen, grabbed a banana, some bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a spoon, and headed out to the back patio. I ate my breakfast staring off into space. When my brain came back to reality, I realized it was Monday morning. I rushed back inside, threw on my softball clothes, and flew to practice. We were playing in the District tournament this weekend, so this practice was especially important. I arrived at the field barely on time.

I ran through practice as focused as possible. It wasn't until I was packing up my bat bag that I noticed Les in the stands. He gave me a concerned look as I exited the dugout, and he reached out, pulling me into a hug.

"You ok, Beautiful?"

I sighed before answering with a totally unconvincing "Yeah".

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked, pulling back to look at my face.

I shrugged my shoulders but didn't answer.

"Come on, let's go grab something to eat," he offered.

"No thanks. I need to get back to my grandparents' house and clean up. I have an appointment with the president of Land's Designs today. I'm supposed to start my internship as soon as softball is over."

"That's great, Beautiful. Call me later, ok?"

"Sure," I said, nodding my head and walking toward my car.

XXXXXXXXXX

My internship interview went well. Donna Land was an incredibly nice lady, and was thoroughly impressed when I showed her my workbook from my "Intro to Interior Design" class, and then the pictures of Nancy's living room that I helped design. She offered me a paid internship and asked if I could start immediately, even before softball ended. I was so excited and immediately accepted. Thankfully, the after-school program had ended the week before, so I wouldn't be leaving Nancy shorthanded.

I started the next afternoon and loved every second of my time there. We worked as a collaborative team, reviewing photos of rooms and discussing possible design improvements. We did three different mock-ups of each room for the clients to review.

Two days later we met with the clients and showed them the mock-ups. They selected two of my designs, which put me on cloud nine. I still hadn't talked to Carlos, and while I got lost in thoughts of him a few times each day, it hadn't affected my work.

Before I knew it, it was Saturday morning and time for the District tournament. This game would decide if we moved on to Regionals and then the World Series of College Softball. We'd had a good season, but so had our opponent, Alabama. They had been our biggest competition all season, with each team winning one encounter.

We were only an inning in when I felt the tingle on the back of my neck. I glanced to the stands and spotted Carlos. God, he looked good! I felt myself losing focus and had to shake my head to clear the thoughts I was having of him naked. I had to have my head in the game 100 percent today.

The innings flew by, each team playing at the top of its game. In the end, we lost by one run. Even though we were all disappointed with the outcome, we couldn't be upset with ourselves—we had played a _good_ game!

I stalled for time packing up my bat bag after the game. I knew Carlos was still there, and I wasn't looking forward to the inevitable conversation we were about to have. As I exited the dugout, I saw him leaning against the bleachers, and I couldn't help but think how gorgeous he looked in his white linen shirt and tan cargo shorts. With his dark skin—phew! He looked absolutely edible, and I could feel my body responding. I was definitely going through Carlos withdrawal after not being with him for a week.

I walked over and he reached out, pulling me into his arms. I couldn't have stopped him if I wanted to—and I didn't want to.

"You played a great game, Babe."

"Thanks," I said, leaning into him a little more.

"Are you ready to come home yet?"

"Do you even know why I left?"

"Not really, but whatever it is, we can work through it."

"You are _way_ too overprotective, Carlos. I can't be followed 24/7, and I can't report every move I make to you. I didn't even do that for my mom and dad."

"I just want you to be safe, Babe. Your safety is the most important thing to me."

"I know that. My safety is important to me, too. But I can't live scared anymore. I can't stay locked up in some ivory tower or be flanked by muscled-up guys for the rest of my life. What if Aaron gets off? How are you going to protect me for the next 70 years or so if that happens?"

"I don't know, but I'll find a way. I'll do it myself, or I'll find someone else who can help, but I won't let you be vulnerable to an attack."

"That doesn't work for me, Carlos. I need some space."

"What kind of space?"

"I need some time alone."

"But I can't protect you when you're alone."

"I don't need you to protect me right now, Carlos."

He sighed, but didn't say anything else.

"I'm gonna go. I'll call you, ok?"

He nodded, and I turned and walked away.

**TBC…**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing the story! I cannot believe I have more than 400 reviews. I'm seriously on cloud nine! I missed responding to a few this week, so if I missed you, please know that I really appreciate the constant support!**

**SMUT WARNING. ;)**

_Previously:_

"_I need some time alone."_

"_But I can't protect you when you're alone."_

"_I don't need you to protect me right now, Carlos."_

_He sighed, but didn't say anything else._

"_I'm gonna go. I'll call you, ok?"_

_He nodded, and I turned and walked away. _

**Ch. 28**

**Carlos' POV**

It was Saturday afternoon and I had gotten off work early. It was the first time in a week that I wasn't working past dinner, and I wanted to take Stephanie out. We hadn't had a lot of alone time together lately, and I just wanted her all to myself tonight. I arrived home to an empty apartment, and my stomach instantly turned to stone. Where was she?

I immediately called her cell, hoping she had gone out with friends and that I was worried for nothing. Mere moments after I pressed "Send" I heard ringing in the bedroom. I couldn't help it, and shouted, "Damn it!" at the top of my lungs.

I called our group of friends, hoping she was with someone we knew. Les, Bobby, Cal, and Bridget were all at work, and hadn't seen or heard from Stephanie in hours. I could feel panic setting in, and took a deep breath to fight off the rising nausea. Grabbing my keys, I headed out to search for her. With no real idea of where she could be, I went everywhere I could think of that she _might_ be. I drove by the softball field, the park she likes to run in, the elementary school, and the mall. I scoured every lot where she had ever parked, looking for her car, but turned up nothing.

I went back home, hoping she had returned safely. As I entered the still-empty apartment, I took a shaky breath. Visions of Aaron attacking her flew through my mind, and I couldn't help but envision the worst. Just as I was about to start calling local hospitals, I heard a key in the door, and in walked Stephanie.

She had a smile on her face, happy to see me home earlier than usual, but I couldn't hold back my angry greeting: "Where the hell have you been?"

Her face instantly changed, and she heatedly defended her reasons for leaving the apartment alone. I tried to explain how concerned I had been, but she wasn't listening to reason. Our fight progressed, and when she stalked into the bedroom, I escaped to the kitchen to splash my face with cold water and practice a little deep breathing to lower my blood pressure. I was scared for her, and it pissed me off that she couldn't understand that, and was taking no precautions for her safety.

When Steph rushed past the kitchen toward the front door, I ran after her and pulled her into my arms, asking where she was going. She said she was leaving and I felt my stomach drop to my knees. How could I protect her if she was leaving me!

She obviously had a different opinion on how much protecting she needed; nothing I said would convince her to stay, and she walked out the door. Crap!

I spent all my extra time over the next few days in the gym, beating the stuffing out of the punching bag. I barely slept, and when I did it was filled with dreams of Stephanie. Each time she was walking away from me. A few times she told me she never loved me. Eventually I realized I was mixing her and Aryanna up in my head. I couldn't put her out of my mind, and it was killing me not having her here with me. Our pillows smelled like her, and I desperately wanted to hold her.

Saturday morning I woke up early, to get some time in the gym before Steph's softball game. I arrived shortly after the first inning started, and immediately spotted her on the mound. She was an amazing player, and I loved watching her. She lifted her hand to rub the back of her neck, then glanced up at the stands and stared at me for a moment. Shaking her head as if to get me out of her mind, she returned to her pitching. The team played a great game, but in the end Alabama pulled out the win. I hoped Steph wouldn't be too disappointed by the loss to talk to me.

I waited forever by the bleachers for her to come out of the dugout. I had just decided I must have missed her when she came out and stopped in front of me. God, she was gorgeous! I pulled her into my arms and felt her lean into me.

We talked, mostly rehashing the same argument we'd had back at the apartment, and she told me she still needed more time alone. I wasn't sure if that meant we were breaking up, or just that she needed a little space. Before I could ask her to clarify further, she turned and walked away. I whispered, "I miss you," but she didn't hear me.

XXXXXXXXXX

I hadn't seen or heard from Steph in nearly a week. Everyone else had spoken to her, and they all assured me she was fine. She had landed an interior design internship and was thriving. I was so proud of her, and I wanted desperately to tell her that, but didn't want to risk contacting her before she was ready.

Bridget helped me to see that I was smothering her, and that was why Steph had walked away. On Thursday afternoon, Bridget came up with a great idea that would get us all together. Les' birthday is June 14th, and since he would be leaving for boot camp on June 2nd, he would miss celebrating his 21st birthday with us. Bridget decided to throw him a party that Saturday, and would make sure that Steph was there.

Saturday night arrived and I was a nervous wreck. I didn't want to fight with Steph again, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get her to come home. I only hoped she would still respect me if I had to get on my knees and beg.

**Stephanie's POV**

God, I missed Carlos! I could hardly sleep because he wasn't there with his arms wrapped around me. Ok, so I missed the sex before sleep, too! My grandparents were still disgustingly in love with each other, and if I had to witness them kissing anymore I might scream. I didn't even want to think about what they did behind closed doors. My new job was going great, but not being able to share my successes with Carlos made it feel less rewarding.

I'd talked to everyone from the apartment except Carlos. I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to call him, but I just couldn't. I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but that he was smothering me. I understood his need to keep me safe, I really did. But he needed to let me breathe, too. I didn't want our stupid fight to be the end of our relationship. We needed to have a serious conversation; I just didn't know how to initiate it.

When Bridget called me about having an early birthday party for Les, I was thrilled. It would be the perfect opportunity to see Carlos and beg him to forgive me for being so cavalier about my safety. I was prepared to get on my knees and beg for forgiveness, if necessary!

XXXXXXX

Saturday afternoon arrived before I knew it, and I barricaded myself in Grandma's upstairs bathroom to get ready for Les' party. I showered, shaved, plucked, and exfoliated for nearly an hour. I spent equal time on my hair and makeup, wanting to look gorgeous but not like I had to try too hard. I slipped into an icy blue sundress with white flowers embroidered on it. To complement the dress, I fastened a large white flower in my hair. It really stood out against the dark curls that were pinned up on top of my head. I left a few tendrils flowing down my cheeks to frame my face, and some more resting on my neck. The hairstyle was perfect for the rising temperature outside, and if I ended up dancing, it should help keep me cool. By the time I was finished, I felt like a million bucks.

The party was at 7 o'clock at Roxy's, a club in downtown Miami for the under-21 crowd. The club was usually busy, but with school out until the summer session started, the crowds were considerably smaller. I thought I'd left plenty of time to get there, but traffic was horrible, and, it was about 7:15 when I arrived. Giving myself a mental pep talk, I smoothed the wrinkles from my dress and walked in the front door.

**Carlos' POV**

My muscles were tense, my brow was sweaty, and I was about 30 seconds from pacing the floor. It was ten minutes after seven and Steph hadn't arrived yet. What if she didn't come because she knew I would be there? She had spoken to all of our friends over the past week, but she hadn't called me, even though she had said she would. What if she dumped me? I was in love with her—I didn't know if I could handle that.

"Hey cuz, you ok? You're looking a little green," Les pointed out.

"Yep, I'm good."

"You're such a liar. Relax, she'll be here. She promised me she'd be here."

I felt myself relax slightly at Les' comment. I knew Steph wouldn't go back on her word, especially to Les. I tried to breathe deeply and force myself to relax. I caught Les, Bobby, and Cal snickering to each other in the corner, and knew they were making fun of me. Truth is, _I_ would have been making fun of me if I were them.

I was just getting ready to excuse myself so I could go panic in peace outside, when the door opened and in walked the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. On an exhaled breath, I whispered, "Babe!"

**Stephanie's POV**

I opened the door to Roxy's and stepped in. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, as it was considerably darker inside. Once I could see, I spotted my group of friends in a corner at the back of the club. I took two steps toward them—my eyes darting around to see who else was there—when I saw Carlos and stumbled. "Very graceful, Steph," I thought to myself.

I slowly made my way over to their table and greeted Les with a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Happy early birthday, Les!"

"Thanks, Beautiful. Hey, do you think if I play my cards right, Bridget will go ahead and give me my birthday spanking tonight?"

I laughed out loud at the eyebrow waggle that followed his question. Les always knew what to say and do to make me laugh. "Hmmm, maybe!" I replied with a smile.

I greeted everyone, stopping in front of Carlos last. "Hey, Batman."

Carlos gave me his megawatt grin and replied, "Hey, Babe." He pulled me into a tight hug, and I couldn't help but melt into him just a little. "You think we could talk?"

I nodded and promised, "Later."

"Ok."

As I turned, I realized that every eye at the table was on us. Smiling, I exclaimed, "I thought this was a party! Why is everyone just sitting around?"

Les laughed and reached for my hand. "Let's dance, Beautiful!"

I let him lead me to the dance floor; we danced one fast song, and then a slow one came on. While we slow-danced we talked about the quickly approaching future.

"Have you and Bridget talked about what's going to happen in June?"

"Yeah. She knows I'm going. Says she's proud of me."

"Of course she is! We all are! What about you two as a couple?"

"She says she wants to stay in touch, and I told her I'd really like that. But I made her promise not to wait for me. I signed up for at least two years, and that's a long time to wait for someone."

I could hear emotion creeping into his voice and didn't want to push, but had to ask one more question: "But you _want_ her to wait for you, don't you?"

"I love her, Beautiful. I would love nothing more than to come home and have her waiting for me, but it isn't fair for me to ask her to put her life on hold."

"Did you ever think she might _want_ you to ask her to wait for you?"

Les didn't answer, just took a deep breath and pulled me closer, ending our conversation.

For the next few hours, we ate pizza, drank Coke, played pool and darts, and danced. I was having a great time, but I hadn't danced with Carlos yet, and I was dying to be in his arms. A beautiful slow song came on, and Carlos made his way over to me. As I watched him approach , I got lost in his gorgeousness and incredible body. He was wearing a tight white T-shirt, dark denim jeans that fit his ass perfectly, and brown boots. His hair was loose, and he looked slightly dangerous—and completely edible.

"Dance with me, Babe?" I hesitated slightly—still somewhat frozen by his beauty—and he added, "Please?"

I nodded and let him take my hand and lead me to the dance floor. He pulled me close; I rested my forehead on his chest and breathed in his scent. He was wearing _Cool Water_ cologne, and between that and his own unique smell, I felt my knees weaken.

His arms tightened around me and he took a deep breath, as if he were getting ready to say something. "I'm sorry, Babe."

"I'm sorry too, Carlos."

"I just wanted to keep you safe; I didn't mean to make you run away."

"I felt like I was suffocating. I was trying to deal with my fear of Aaron and another attack, and I felt like I couldn't breathe because you were trying to rein me in so tightly. I don't do well being told what to do, Carlos; you can ask my mother if you need confirmation."

"I wasn't trying to tell you what to do, I was just doing what I thought was best to keep you safe. I realize now that I was smothering you, and that I should have pulled back, but…fear for your safety makes me a little nuts, Babe. I'm sorry."

"I know. I was afraid too, but every time you pushed I wanted to push back harder. I can't explain it—it was just my gut reaction. You preached 'Be careful', so I stupidly went out on my own without my phone. I don't know why I reacted that way, I just did. So I'm sorry too."

"We're two of a kind, Babe. It's both a blessing and a curse!"

I giggled and snuggled into him a little tighter. The song had changed at some point, but I don't think either of us realized we were slow dancing to a fast song.

"How about a compromise?" Carlos asked.

"What did you have in mind?"

"You come home, and I promise that I'll try not to suffocate you anymore."

I laughed—I couldn't help it. "You know, if someone overheard this conversation, they might think I was in danger."

He seemed to mentally go back through our conversation, then he laughed too.

"I'm not suggesting that you can't try and keep me safe. I appreciate that you do that, Carlos, and I know you do it because you love me. I want to be safe, too! I just have a very stubborn, independent nature, and need to feel like I have some say in how to keep me safe." I felt Carlos nod his head against mine. "Do you think you could teach me some self defense? Or help me find a class to go to? I want to know how to protect myself if I'm ever attacked again."

"I think that's a great idea, Babe. I'd be happy to teach you some things, and I think it would be a good idea to take a class too."

"Thank you."

"Do you think you could promise me something?" Carlos asked hesitantly.

"I can try."

"The next time I'm being overbearing or suffocating, can you tell me before things blow up and you run away?"

"That's a big failing of mine: running away when things get tough, instead of staying and talking things out. But I promise that I'll try."

"That's all I ask, Babe. I've missed you so much!" He punctuated his sentence with a kiss.

"I've really missed you, too, Carlos," I said before returning his kiss, deepening it quickly.

"I love you, Babe!"

"And I'm so in love with you, Carlos!" Our kisses continued to get deeper and the rest of the dance floor just faded away. I'm not normally a PDA type of girl, but I hadn't kissed him in weeks and I was bordering on desperate.

"Can I take you home with me, Babe?"

"Only if we leave right now."

"Deal."

Carlos led me off the dance floor to grab our things and bid everyone goodnight, and then we rushed out of the club. I let Carlos drive and I spent the ride testing his 'driving while distracted' skills. My lips were attacking his neck, and my hand was massaging his hard length as we sped through the streets of Miami toward our apartment.

We pulled into the parking lot and I had barely gotten my seatbelt off before Carlos was pulling me from the car to rush me upstairs. I trusted him to keep me from falling as I walked backwards—wrapped in his arms and lost in his kisses—until we reached our apartment. He pinned me against the door and kissed me with unbridled passion. I thought he was never going to get the door open, but finally the lock turned and we were inside.

Carlos dropped to his knees, kissing my thighs as he yanked my panties down. I felt a flood of juices coating my thighs as his tongue moved to assault my clit. My knees weakened, and if Carlos hadn't stood and caught me, I would have hit the floor. He returned to my mouth, devouring it with his tongue, as my fingers fumbled with his belt buckle and then the buttons and zipper on his jeans. Once his pants were down around his ankles, I took his hard cock into my waiting hands and stroked it, while echoing the motion with my tongue in his mouth.

I let out a squeak as Carlos lifted me and pushed me against the wall in the hallway. We hadn't quite made it to the bedroom yet, but neither of us could wait. Thank God everyone else was still at Roxy's.

Carlos entered me in one smooth, fast motion, drawing gasps of pleasure from both of us. He thrust into me with such force that I instantly came, throwing my head back with screams of ecstasy. He continued thrusting into me, sending me over the edge a second time before following me over with a grunted "Babe."

We slid to the floor wrapped in each other, and stayed there until we got our breathing under control. Carlos recovered first and said, "God, Babe. I meant to go slow and show you how much I love you. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"There was definitely no pain involved. And I think I got a glimpse of how much you love me. But if you'd like to make sure you conveyed that message…"

Carlos interrupted me with his lips on mine in a gentle, passionate kiss. He stood up and lifted me so that my legs wrapped around his waist. I could feel him hardening against me again as he carried me down the hall into our bedroom.

He sat me on the floor by the side of the bed and then whispered, "I'll be right back." I was a little confused as he rushed out the door, but understood completely when he came back carrying my panties and his jeans. I'm not even sure when he had stepped out of his pants, but I'm glad he had enough of his wits about him to not leave them by the front door. Our friends didn't need to see that we couldn't even control ourselves until we reached the bedroom.

Carlos tossed our clothing on the floor before lifting his shirt off and stepping to me to remove my dress and bra. We stood before each other naked, taking a moment to appreciate the other's body. He pulled me to him, one of his hands tangled in my hair and the other on my hip.

"You take my breath away, Babe. You're so incredibly beautiful!"

"So are you," I answered, before leaning into his kiss.

He gently laid me back on the bed, climbed on top of me, and spent the rest of the night showing just _how_ much he loved me.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Thoughts?**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18.**

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help.**

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing the story! I cannot believe I have so many reviews. I'm seriously on cloud nine! Thank you all, and please know that I really appreciate the constant support!**

**SMUT WARNING. ;)**

_Previously:_

"_You take my breath away, Babe. You're so incredibly beautiful!"_

"_So are you," I answered, before leaning into his kiss._

_He gently laid me back on the bed, climbed on top of me, and spent the rest of the night showing just how much he loved me._

**Ch. 29**

**Stephanie's POV**

While I wasn't in any hurry to have another fight with Carlos, the make-up sex was AMAZING—probably the best sex we've ever had. It was filled with passion, heat, and so much love. When we finally collapsed, completely sated, there was no doubt in my mind how much he truly loved me. I could only hope my love for him was equally clear.

We slept wrapped tightly in each other's arms, reluctant to let go. I'm not sure what time the others came home, but I heard some of them milling around the kitchen the next morning. When I finally convinced my eyes to open, I was rewarded with the most beautiful pair of chocolate brown eyes staring back at me.

"Morning, Batman," I said with a grin.

"Morning, Babe," Carlos replied with a chuckle.

"Do you have to work today?"

Carlos sighed, "Yeah. I promised Todd I'd work his afternoon shift. He's covering me next weekend for Alex and Mari's wedding, so I figured it was the least I could do."

I nodded and snuggled further into his chest.

"I can help you move your things back from your grandparents' house before I go in, though, if you want," Carlos offered hesitantly.

"I absolutely want to."

His arms squeezed me tighter. "Thank God! We'd better get a move on."

I gave a groan, but moved to get up anyway. It had been two weeks since we'd been together, and several muscles were screaming in protest. Of course, other parts of my body were sighing in thanks.

We both quickly freshened up and got dressed before going out to greet our friends. "Morning, Beautiful," Les greeted me cheerfully. "I see you're finally back here where you belong."

"Yes. I am. We're going to go pick up my stuff from my grandparents' house so I can be back officially."

"Need any help?"

"I didn't have that much with me, so I don't think so, but you're welcome to come along if you want. Abuela Rosa always has brunch on Sundays with my grandparents. It would be a good opportunity for you to say hi."

"Let me slip on some shoes."

I looked at Bridget, who had a huge grin on her face, and returned her smile. "How's it going, Bridge? Everything ok?"

"Everything is perfect, Steph." She gave me a knowing look, which I truly hoped meant that she and Les had talked and decided to fight for their relationship.

"What have you got going today?"

"I'm heading in to Sally's to work the afternoon shift." Sally's was an upscale lingerie store in downtown Miami. Bridget had tried to get an internship at a design firm, but hadn't had any luck. I'd talked to Donna about her, and she was working on finding a spot. I hadn't told Bridget about it yet, as Donna told me she couldn't promise anything.

I gave a nod and told her to have a great day as she grabbed a banana and headed to her bedroom to get ready for work. She gave Les a quick kiss as he passed her in the hallway, and then Les, Carlos, and I headed out to Carlos' Bronco. I would have preferred to take my Bug, as the weather was perfect for riding with the top down, but with the three of us, it wouldn't have left much room for my bags.

We arrived at my grandparents' house about 25 minutes later and were met by Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa on the front porch. When we climbed out of the car, the two Grandmas smiled at the three of us. Grandma Mazur pulled me into a tight hug before leading me into the house, with the others following behind.

"Did you come to get your things, baby girl?" Grandma asked.

"Yes. I'm moving back into the apartment."

"I'd hoped you'd work it out," she whispered, putting her arm around me.

"Thanks, Grandma."

"So," she started, changing the subject, "Have you spoken with your mother recently?"

"I talked to her briefly before we played Temple a few weeks ago. She told me that the doctor had confirmed Val's pre-eclampsia and that she and Daddy weren't going to make it to the game." I understood that they needed to be there for Val, but it still sucked a little. Maria and Ricardo had gone to that game, which was wonderful…but just not the same as having your own parents there.

"Your mother felt so bad they couldn't come. Turns out that Joseph had offered to stay with Val so they could go, but then he was accepted into the police academy and had training that weekend."

"Really?" It was hard for me to picture the troublemaker I knew as a police officer. "Good for him."

"Yes, your mother says he's really trying to change the impression of his family name."

The Morellis definitely had a bad family name. Joe's dad had been an abusive drunk, up until the day he died. Many accused Angela Morelli, Joe's mother, of being weak for staying with the no-good piece of scum. Angie Morelli was friends with my mom, and even Mom couldn't understand why she had stayed with Anthony.

"Your mother also says he's been coming around a lot, visiting with Val."

Hmmm. Interesting. "Did Val file for divorce from Steve yet?"

"Not yet. She can't afford it."

"Can't Mom and Daddy help her?"

"I'm not sure why they haven't helped her pay for it yet. They certainly don't want her to go back to that scuzzbucket."

I giggled at Grandma's epithet for Steve, just as Abuela Rosa, Carlos, and Les came into the kitchen.

"Stay for brunch, mija?" Abuela Rosa asked me, glancing at Carlos and Les. I smiled and nodded at the same time my stomach let out a loud roar. Everyone chuckled at what we fondly referred to as "the beast". Grandma was just about to pull some sort of casserole out of the oven, so I took the opportunity to rush upstairs to gather my things together.

I jumped and gave a squeak when Carlos touched my shoulder. "Jeez, make a little noise, wouldja?"

He gave a chuckle before pulling me into his arms. "I just wanted to see if you needed any help," he said, kissing me tenderly.

"Ummm," I said when he finally released my lips.

With a grin he said, "Come on, Babe. Let's get you packed."

I nodded, still unable to talk, and turned to pull my clothes from the drawers and closet, while Carlos packed them in my bags.

After brunch, we headed back toward our apartment, Carlos' hand holding mine tightly as he drove. I was lost in thought over Val and Joe. Was a relationship blooming there? Would Joe accept a ready-made family? Had he really changed, or would he hurt her just like Steve did? I didn't even notice we had arrived home until Carlos gave my hand a tug and asked, "You ok, Babe?"

"Hmmm? Yeah, fine."

"Do you want to go inside?" he asked, trying to mask a smile.

I glanced around, realized where we were, and then looked back at Carlos long enough to roll my eyes before turning and getting out of the car. Carlos and Les took my bags and carried them inside for me. Les grabbed his keys, saying he was going to go lingerie shopping, before heading out the door.

I couldn't hold back my laughter. He was so head-over-heels for Bridget, and I really hoped they survived his absence. I was quickly distracted from my thoughts as Carlos wrapped his arms around me from behind and buried his face in my neck, nuzzling and nipping that sensitive spot just under my ear.

Moaning, I turned, as Carlos planted his lips on mine, pulling me into a deep, passionate kiss. The next thing I knew, we were flying through our bedroom door. Carlos kicked it shut and then climbed on top of me in the bed. We made love over and over for hours, each coupling hotter than the one before. Just before sleep claimed me, I remember thinking I didn't think I could love Carlos any more than I already did.

XXXXXXXX

The next week was perfect. Carlos and I worked similar hours and spent our evenings together. We ate dinner, watched movies, went dancing together and then spent every night making love, leaving only a few hours for sleep before starting the next day.

Alex and Mari arrived from Colorado on Thursday night. Alex, Les, Carlos, Bobby, Cal, and a few of Alex's childhood friends went out for a bachelor party. I didn't want details. I trusted Carlos.

Bridget, Mari, her best friend Anna, and I went out for a bachelorette party. And let me tell you, it was my kind of "party"! We started at a spa, where we all got a few treatments before getting massages. I got a facial and a bikini wax. I thought about getting a Brazilian, but chickened out. After our massages we all soaked in a mineral pool, leaving my skin even softer than normal. I was completely relaxed as we headed to dinner at a five-star Cuban restaurant in downtown Miami that Abuela Rosa had recommended. Chef Luis knew Abuela Rosa from church, and she promised us he would take care of us. We had invited her and Grandma Mazur along, but they claimed they were too old for a bachelorette party.

Dinner was amazing! The others agreed with me—although, according to Mari, "not quite as vocally". I couldn't help it…the food was definitely moan-worthy! After dinner, we went to one of the hottest dance clubs in Miami and danced the night away. Thankfully we didn't have to fight off any over-zealous men trying to hit on us. Ok…so we had to turn a _few_ down, and the bouncer came over once to make sure we were ok after one guy got a little "friendly", but overall, it was great.

We elected to stay the night at Abuela Rosa's house, since it was closer to the clubs than the apartment, and let the guys have the apartment for themselves.

Friday went by in a rush, with me helping Mari and Anna with preparations for the wedding and reception. The Manosos and Mari's parents arrived Friday afternoon. Maria and Celia helped us finish the decorating at the reception hall before we all had to rush home to get ready for the rehearsal. Les had picked up Bridget earlier, so when I arrived at the apartment, they were already fully dressed and ready to go. I gave them a quick wave as I rushed into the bedroom to get ready, then froze in my tracks as I took in Carlos, clad only in a towel, his hair still dripping wet from the shower. I felt my eyes glaze over and a small amount of drool escape.

Without thinking, I pulled my tank top off and dropped my shorts, leaving me standing in front of Carlos in my white lacy push-up bra and thong. He swallowed hard before dropping his towel and stalking toward me. My breath caught as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me senseless. I was lost in the sensations and didn't even notice that he had removed my bra before pushing me onto the bed and crawling on top of me. We were lost in passionate foreplay when a loud knock on the door pulled us back to reality.

"Son of a bitch!" Carlos whispered, before calling out, "Yeah?" to whoever was on the other side of the door.

"Carlos man, you almost ready? I promised Alex we would be at rehearsal early."

"Sorry Babe," Carlos whispered before calling back to Les, "Give me five."

"Alright man, I'll be waiting in the Jeep."

With a rueful smile, Carlos turned to the closet, pulling out a pair of tan slacks and a light blue shirt. I was still lying in the center of the bed, clad only in my thong, trying to catch my breath. Moments later, Carlos was dressed, with his hair pulled back and ready to go. He sat beside me on the bed, leaning over to give me one last kiss, then leaned down to take one of my still incredibly taut nipples into his mouth. I moaned and arched into him just before he pulled away.

"Dios, Babe, if Alex wasn't family…"

"I know. Don't worry, I have a great memory, so I can remind you where we were when we get home," I promised with a smile.

"Sounds like a plan," he whispered, standing to leave. "I'll see you at the church, Babe."

I heaved a huge sigh as he slipped out of the room, then forced myself off the bed to get ready. After showering in record time, I quickly did my hair and makeup. Glancing in the mirror, I was pleased with the overall package: I looked nice, not overly made up…perfect.

Rushing back into our room, I pulled my light blue dress from the closet. I was amazed at how well Carlos and I matched without even trying. The dress had spaghetti straps with an Empire waist, and flowed down to my knees. It twirled out when I spun around, which was my favorite part—what can I say, I'm still a five-year-old inside! I slipped on a pair of silver strappy sandals with a modest three-inch heel, grabbed my clutch purse, and transferred some essentials into it before grabbing a light sweater and heading out.

I made it across town to St. Lawrence's Catholic Church just in time for the wedding rehearsal. As I entered, I noticed the girls standing in the lobby, discussing how Mari wanted things to go. When I joined them, Mari smiled and pulled me into a hug. "How's it going? Everything ok?" I asked.

"Everything is great. We were just discussing a few details before getting started."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"Nope, we're ready to go."

"Great!"

From the look on Mari's face, I could tell reality was setting in and she was getting nervous. In an effort to reassure her, I touched her arm and spoke softly, saying, "It's going to be perfect, Mari."

Mari took a deep, shuddering breath before squaring her shoulders. She turned to the church's wedding coordinator and gave a nod. The wedding coordinator spoke quietly into a walkie-talkie and then the music started. It was a beautiful ballad and after waiting a few bars, I walked through the door and headed down the aisle.

As I glanced up the aisle my breath caught. Carlos was waiting with Alex and Les by the altar, looking even more gorgeous than when he left the apartment. My eyes locked on his as I proceeded, keeping my steps in time with the music.

When I reached the altar, I took my place to the side and stood staring into Carlos' eyes. I barely noticed Anna making her way down the aisle, and had to force myself to break eye contact with Carlos so I could turn and watch Hank and Mari make their way toward us. I glanced at Alex, and smiled at the look of complete adoration he was casting toward Mari.

The priest began running through the wedding ceremony, going over the important parts, and I tried to focus on his words as my eyes turned back to Carlos. Thankfully it wasn't going to be a full Mass, so the actual service would only last about 30 minutes instead of an hour and a half or longer.

We ran through the ceremony two more times, until Mari was comfortable that everyone knew his or her part. My eyes didn't stray from Carlos very often, looking at Mari only when she asked me a direct question.

When we were done, we all headed to the rehearsal dinner at an upscale restaurant known for its incredible cuisine. I tried very hard to control myself during dinner, but I know at least a few moans slipped out, based on the looks I got from Juanita and Hank (Mari's parents). I guess no one had clued them in on my vocal eating habits.

After dinner, Carlos drove me home. We were both lost in thought and didn't talk much. We got home just after 10 p.m. to an empty apartment. Bobby and Cal had met up with Les and Bridget after the rehearsal, and they were going to hang out more with Alex and Mari. They had invited us along, but Carlos and I both quickly turned them down.

I walked down the hall toward our bedroom, with Carlos following close behind me. The door had barely closed behind us, before he pulled me backwards into his arms. He whispered into my ear, "I think you were going to remind me where we were."

Turning, I smiled up at him. "Well…if memory serves me, you were naked." He gave me his best wolf grin before stripping his clothes off.

"I believe you were pretty close to naked too, Babe."

I nodded my head and slipped the straps of my dress off my shoulders before unzipping it and letting it flutter to the floor. Carlos' eyes darkened instantly as he took in the sight of me standing before him in an ice blue strapless bra and matching thong.

"I like this one _way_ better than the white one, Babe," he said in a voice so husky I barely recognized it.

"Good to know," I whispered as he stepped closer and removed my bra in a flash.

Carlos positioned me on the bed where I had been earlier, before sitting back and casting an admiring glance at my body. "Dios, Babe. You get more beautiful every day."

There was no way I was more beautiful than he was, but I didn't want to argue. Instead, I just reached up and pulled him down to me, wrapping my arms around his neck as he kissed me. The kiss quickly deepened and I couldn't help but think about what an incredible kisser he was. If I had my way, no one else would ever kiss me like that again.

Carlos broke the kiss to move down my throat and then further south. I might have blacked out for a second as he removed my panties and locked his mouth over my mound, flicking my clit with his tongue. I vaguely remember arching into him and pulling my legs up to grant him better access.

It took no time at all before I was flying over the edge, screaming Carlos' name. He gently sucked and nipped at my clit, his fingers gliding in and out of me in a slow, steady pace as I came down from my orgasm. When I had recovered, Carlos removed his fingers, pulling a whimper from me, and then crawled up my body, placing hot kisses along my steaming skin. By the time he reached my mouth, my entire body felt like it was on fire, and I couldn't control the beast trying to get out from inside me…and I'm not talking about my stomach!

I gave him a gentle push and rolled with him so that I was on top, straddling his waist, my dripping wet center resting just above where I wanted it to be. I kissed him with a fevered passion before sitting up. We locked eyes as I shifted until I was hovering above him, before gently sliding down onto his massive erection. His hands went to my hips when I started to move, and noting his heavy breathing and closed eyes I stilled, to give him a moment to regain control.

When his eyes opened again, I began rocking myself back and forth, up and down, on him. Soon his hips were matching my thrusts and I flew over the edge, throwing my head back and sucking air. He slowed slightly as I recovered, and the second he thought I could handle it, he began thrusting up into me again. By now, I was moaning uncontrollably, moving closer and closer to orgasm again. I was right there, teetering on the brink, when Carlos pulled out.

I locked eyes with him again, but was unable to speak. He lifted me off of him, and then slid from underneath. Leaning forward, I lifted myself onto my knees, and he positioned himself behind me. I sucked in a deep breath as his massively hard erection slid into me from behind, hitting my G-spot instantly. I felt myself contract around him and he stilled, sucking in his own ragged breath. After several long moments, he began moving again, faster and harder than before. He had one hand on my hip steadying me, and the other reached around and caressed my breast and pinched my nipple at the same time.

Unable to control myself, I thrust back into him three times before going over, bringing him with me. We collapsed onto the bed, both of us fighting to regain our breath. As my breathing finally returned to normal, I spooned into Carlos. He wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. I was moments from drifting off to sleep when he spoke. "I want that to be us, Babe."

"What?"

"Standing in a church, before God and our families, promising to love each other forever. Only each other."

I wanted it too, more than anything, but I definitely wasn't ready for it yet. "Someday, Carlos. It _will_ be us…someday."

"I love you more than anything, Babe."

"I love you too, Carlos." I reached my head up to give him another kiss. This time it was gentle, filled with the promise of a someday together. We kissed for what felt like hours before drifting off to sleep, still entangled in each others' arms.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: Thoughts?**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing the story! I cannot believe I have so many reviews. I'm seriously on cloud nine! **

_Previously:_

_I wanted it too, more than anything, but I definitely wasn't ready for it yet. "Someday, Carlos. It will be us…someday."_

"_I love you more than anything, Babe."_

"_I love you too, Carlos." I reached my head up to give him another kiss. This time it was gentle, filled with the promise of a someday together. We kissed for what felt like hours before drifting off to sleep, still entangled in each others' arms._

**Ch. 30 **

When Carlos and I awoke the next morning, we were still wrapped in each other's arms. Of course we were still naked, so one thing led to another and we ended up having to rush through our showers to be ready to leave for the church on time.

When we pulled up in front of St. Lawrence's, Carlos pulled me into a searing kiss before we headed our separate ways to prepare for the wedding. We had decided that we would get dressed at the church to avoid wrinkles. When I walked into the Bride's Room, I froze: Mari looked so beautiful! Her hair was pulled up on top of her head with a few curls flowing down to her shoulders. Her dress was a strapless white gown with a sweetheart neckline that bunched and fastened right under her chest. It flowed out with a ball-gown skirt in beautiful white satin and had a long train. Mari's make-up was beautiful and really accented her eyes, making them sparkle. She took my breath away!

"Mari, you are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen!" I said to her softly.

She looked at me and started to tear up. "Oh no! Don't cry," I smiled at her. "I don't want whoever did your makeup to hunt me down and shoot me in a church! That can't be good for the soul."

Mari laughed at my attempt at a joke and then sucked up her tears before standing. "You'd better dress quickly, Steph, pictures are in a few minutes."

Crap! I rushed behind the privacy screen and stripped off my button-up shirt and jean shorts. Thankfully, I had fixed my hair and make-up before leaving the apartment. My hair was half up, half down with big curls flowing perfectly just past my shoulders. I had a silver eye shadow base with a sparkly blue shadow in the corners that made my eyes look bigger than normal, and two coats of mascara. I stepped into my navy silk gown and pulled it up to my chest. It had spaghetti straps and flowed down my body, fitting my curves perfectly. Anna's dress was the exact same cut, only hers was red. Since the wedding was on Memorial Day weekend, they decided to go with patriotic colors. Les had been thrilled with that decision!

Alex was going to be wearing a white tux, dark blue vest, and red tie, and I just knew that the white tux was going to look amazing against his dark skin. Alex and Les had on black tuxedos with white shirts, and Les's vest and tie were red, while Carlos' matched my dress. We would definitely make a beautiful picture.

After zipping my dress—the zipper was on the side under the arm, making dressing myself much easier—I sat down to slip on my matching heels. They were strappy sandals with a three-inch heel and they matched the color of my dress perfectly. And they were actually really comfortable!

Once I was dressed, I applied my lipstick and gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror. I was pleased with the results. We headed into the sanctuary to take pictures, and several poses later, we were back in the Bride's Room, waiting for the ceremony to start.

"Are you nervous?" Anna asked Mari.

"A little, but I've never been more certain of anything in my life than I am about marrying Alex."

I smiled at her. That was the _perfect_ answer.

We made idle chit-chat until the wedding coordinator came to tell us it was time. I gave Mari a quick hug and then took my place by the door. Abuela Rosa was waiting to walk in first with Lester, followed by Mari's grandmother and grandfather. Next Mari's father, Hank, would walk Juanita down the aisle to her seat, and then circle around and come back to walk Mari in.

I waited for my cue, and when Hank came back through the doors, I started out. I walked slow and steady, my feet keeping pace with the music. Once again, my eyes locked onto Carlos' and it seemed like no one else was there. And good God, was he gorgeous! He looked devastatingly handsome in his tux. I took my place by the altar and forced myself to look away from him.

The Manoso clan was sitting proudly in the first two rows on the groom's side, along with Abuela Rosa, who already had tears in her eyes. My grandparents were in the third row, and you would have almost thought they were family based on their proud smiles. Our friends Cal, Bobby, Bridget, Alicia, Jeannette, and several of Les's frat brothers were all sitting on Alex's side. The bride's side was equally full, populated with people I didn't recognize.

Anna made her way up the aisle and took her spot next to me, already sniffling. The music changed and everyone stood. With the crowd standing, I wasn't able to get a very good look at Mari, so instead I turned my attention to Alex. The look on his face was absolutely priceless. It was a mixture of emotions: the one that stood out the most was pure love. His smile was a mile wide and he did nothing to stop the flow of tears down his cheeks. When I glanced at Les, I saw that he had tears in his eyes as well, and kept glancing from his brother to Mari. Carlos had a huge grin on his face, and gave me a quick wink before turning his attention to the bride. I couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about last night's conversation.

Mari reached Alex and I could see the restraint on his face as he tried not to reach for her hand before the priest directed him to. The ceremony was beautiful and seemed to be over in mere moments. When the priest directed Alex to kiss his bride, he pulled Mari into a tight embrace and placed a tender kiss on her lips. As they broke apart, Mari let out a combination laugh/sob as they turned to the audience and were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Alejandro Santos. The crowd cheered as the couple made their way to the back of the church, followed by Les and Anna, and then Carlos and me.

When I looped my arm through his, Carlos whispered, "I'm going to hold you to your promise of 'someday', Babe." I just grinned and let him lead me to the back of the church. We stood in a receiving line outside greeting everyone, before finally heading back inside for group photos. Afterwards we all made our way to the church's reception hall. Mari's family had gone with Abuela Rosa's suggestion of having Chef Luis's Cuban restaurant cater the food, and I couldn't wait to dig in. I was starving!

The DJ introduced us as we walked into the reception and took our seats at the head table. Unfortunately, Carlos and I were at opposite ends. Dinner was wonderful and before I knew it, it was time for toasts. Anna was first.

"Hi, everyone, I'm Anna. Mari and I have been best friends since…well, forever! Mari was the first person to sit by me when I started at her elementary school. She shared her peanut butter and banana sandwich with me, since my Mom had sent me with a pimento loaf sandwich." At that point, Anna made a face and everyone laughed.

"Mari…I remember playing 'wedding' in my treehouse when we were 10. You always described such a lavish affair. Well, my dear friend…it was nothing compared to the real thing. And you look far more beautiful than you did in my grandma's First Communion dress." Everyone laughed at that image. "I love you so much, and I'm so very happy that things have worked out with you and Alex. I wish you a lifetime of happiness together. To Mari and Alex!"

Everyone repeated "To Mari and Alex!" and took a sip of champagne. Lester was next and he was visibly nervous. I couldn't help but smile at the look on his face.

Les had to clear his throat three times before he could begin. "Alex, I have looked up to you for as long as I can remember. You have always been a shining example of what I wanted to be. And even though we spent many years apart, I never forgot the lessons you taught me when I was little." The room was completely silent as they listened intently to Les's words. "You know, there isn't a whole lot that I remember about Mama and Papa…but one thing really stands out. You were about 17 and your girlfriend had just dumped you for that creep down the street, James." There were a few giggles at that.

"Papa told you that you would most likely have many women in your life, but when you found the woman that you were supposed to marry, you would know. I remember you asking _how_ you would know and he said…" Les paused to clear his throat around the knot that was forming in his throat. "He said…'Easy. You'll look in her eyes and see the rest of your life. Just like I did when I looked into your Mama's eyes for the first time.'" He paused again to keep himself composed. "I hope that you and Mari have a lifetime filled with a love like Mama and Papa's. And that you are lucky enough to grow old together and pass that love onto children of your own. I love you both…so much. To Alex and Mari."

The crowd echoed his sentiment and tipped their glasses of champagne. I cast a glance to the other end of the table and saw Carlos staring at me with tear-filled eyes. Someday!

After the toasts, Alex and Les locked in a strong embrace. I'm not sure what Alex was whispering to Les, but Les was nodding, and when he pulled away he was smiling as tears streamed down his cheeks. Les walked away from the head table straight to Bridget, pulled her to her feet, and planted an extremely hot kiss on her—so hot, I felt _my_ face flush just watching!

The DJ called Alex and Mari to the floor for their first dance as man and wife. Carlos came and took my hand, leading me to the edge of the dance floor to watch. Kenny Chesney's song "Me and You" began playing. As I listened to the lyrics, I couldn't help but lean back into Carlos, thinking the words really fit us. He wrapped his arms tighter around me, clearly feeling the same thing.

After their first dance, Mari shared a dance with Hank to The Temptations' "My Girl". Hank had tears in his eyes for the entire dance with his baby girl. It was beautiful to watch. Suddenly it hit me: Alex didn't have anyone to dance with for the mother and son dance. Sensing me tense up, Carlos whispered, "He's going to dance with my mom. He told her she was always like a second mother to him anyway."

I nodded, unable to speak. I couldn't imagine losing either of my parents, let alone both of them. When Mari's dance with Hank ended, Alex and Maria danced to "Wind Beneath My Wings" by Bette Midler. It was a sweet sight, and there wasn't a dry eye in the place. When that dance was over, we did a "bridal party" dance to Aerosmith's "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing". I saw Anna's boyfriend cut in between her and Lester, giving Les the opportunity to dance with Bridget. I gave them a quick smile before turning my attention back to Carlos.

Carlos and I spent hours dancing together. Fast dances, slow dances, line dances, even that ridiculous "chicken dance" that they seem to think is fun to play at weddings. Don't get me wrong, Carlos was extremely reluctant to do that one, but with enough peer pressure, he caved. It was hysterically funny to watch him flap his arms and wiggle his butt. We took a break after that one, but he quickly pulled me back to the floor when a song with a Latin rhythm came on, so we could dance the Salsa. And while I had never done it before, I think I was a pretty quick learner. Of course, watching and feeling Carlos' hips move to the beat reminded me of other times when his hips moved against mine, and after that my panties were ruined.

At one point everyone took a break to watch Alex and Mari cut the cake. They were gentle, and fed each other without making a mess. No fun, I tell ya! Carlos grabbed a large piece, then sat me in his lap and shared it with me. We sat, enjoying just being with each other, before Les pulled us back to the dance floor for the garter and bouquet toss. I was pleased when Les caught the garter and Bridget caught the bouquet. If I didn't know better, I would think that Mari and Alex planned that.

Carlos and I danced together for the rest of the night, never breaking contact. By the time the reception was over, I was completely overheated and ready for a little privacy. We headed back to our apartment a little after midnight and barely made it to our room before the clothes went flying. In mere moments we were wrapped in each others arms, our bodies moving against each other in an erotic dance. We climaxed together—ok, so I had already climaxed three times, but who's counting—and then lay together holding on for dear life.

"I love you, Babe," Carlos said, still breathless.

"I love you too."

The next morning, we headed to Abuela Rosa's house for a family meal before Alex and Mari headed to Thailand for their honeymoon. They opened the few presents that were given to them at the reception—most people elected to ship their gifts directly to their home in Colorado. The food was amazing, as usual, and Grandma and Grandpa Mazur even joined us for the celebration.

All too soon it was time for the newlyweds to leave to catch their flight. They both hugged Lester for a long time, making sure he knew how much they loved him and how proud they were of him. They wished him luck at boot camp and made him promise to write. I had already made him promise me the same thing. The rest of the Manosos gave Alex and Mari hugs, wishing them safe travels before sending them on their way.

As I hugged them both goodbye, they each whispered words of thanks in my ear, causing me to choke up again. I could only nod and squeeze them both a little tighter. We all watched from the porch as they drove away and then turned to head back into the house. I helped Grandma, Abuela Rosa, and Maria clean up the kitchen while Les, Ricardo, and Carlos sat in the living room with Grandpa Mazur talking about boot camp.

Nearly two hours later we left, after promising to visit in a couple of weeks when I was in Trenton for Mary Lou's bridal shower. Because of work commitments, Carlos wasn't sure whether he would be able to go with me, but I promised his parents that I would make a trip to Newark regardless. Thirty minutes later, Carlos and I walked into our apartment and headed straight for the bedroom. It had been an exhausting few days and both of us wanted nothing more than a nap. Ok…not _nothing_ more. In truth…it was hours later before either of us got any sort of sleep.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: After much discussion with my Beta, and struggling to keep up with my posting schedule, I decided to make some changes. I will now be posting on Tuesdays and Fridays. Thank you so much for continuing to support my story and me. You are all so amazing! I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing.**

**Warnings: While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: Please, forgive any inaccuracies. It is fiction, so some things happen the way they do merely to fit my purposes. I hope you enjoy! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I owe you a world of thanks! You help to make my ramblings make sense so that people are interested in reading it. You are absolutely amazing, and I can't thank you enough for ALL of your help. **

**Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing the story! I cannot believe I have so many reviews. I'm seriously on cloud nine! I cannot tell you what the constant support means to me!**

_Previously:_

_Nearly two hours later we left, after promising to visit in a couple of weeks when I was in Trenton for Mary Lou's bridal shower. Because of work commitments, Carlos wasn't sure whether he would be able to go with me, but I promised his parents that I would make a trip to Newark regardless. Thirty minutes later, Carlos and I walked into our apartment and headed straight for the bedroom. It had been an exhausting few days and both of us wanted nothing more than a nap. Ok…not nothing more. In truth…it was hours later before either of us got any sort of sleep. _

**Ch. 31**

The next few weeks flew by. Les left for boot camp in Fort Benning, Georgia. A teary Bridget planted kisses all over him until he was forced to choose between boarding the plane and missing the flight. We took Bridget back to the apartment, where she locked herself in their room for the rest of the day.

The next day, Cal left for his own boot camp, or to be specific, to Great Lakes Naval Training Center, in Illinois. We sent him off much the same as Les, except without the crying girlfriend. He and Alicia from Kappa Zeta had gone out a few times, but nothing serious had come from it. She wished him luck and gave him a parting kiss—a pretty hot parting kiss—but there weren't any tears.

The apartment seemed so much bigger after they were gone. Not that they took up a lot of room, but their personalities seemed to fill the space when they were there, and now it seemed…quiet.

Carlos and I were doing great. We had a few minor arguments about safety, as Aaron was still awaiting trial—and from what the D.A. told us, he would be waiting a while as DNA processing was extremely backed up. They didn't expect it to go to trial before November or December. That fact kept Carlos on edge, because he couldn't be with me all the time and he was down two of my "protectors". To help alleviate some of his fears, I started self-defense classes.

We had developed a pretty consistent routine: we were up at five every morning, and ran in the park for about forty-five minutes, finishing our run at the gym around the corner from our apartment. The gym gave students a hefty discount, and since it was closer than the one on campus, it worked out well. We spent anywhere from 30–45 minutes lifting weights before jogging back to our apartment. We would shower together (to save water, of course!) and then we would grab a bite to eat before heading to work. I worked from 8:30 to 5:30 every day and then headed back to the gym, which conveniently offered self-defense training. The classes started at six and ended at seven.

Carlos worked a longer day than I did, from 8:30 to 7:30, so I had enough time after self-defense class to get home and clean up. Once he got home, we'd fix dinner together, often some type of fish. Carlos was a pro at cooking fish—salmon, mahi mahi, trout, halibut—it was always scrumptious. Me? I could do pasta and a killer pot roast, both courtesy of my mother. About half the time, we elected to have a salad or a sandwich and then would spend the evening in the bedroom, where I would show Carlos my self-defense moves.

Bridget decided to go home for the summer so she could work for her dad. It paid far more than Sally's, plus it let her get away from the room she had shared with Les. I wrote to Les at least twice a week, and while he didn't respond to every letter, he wrote back more often than I would have thought possible. He said that basic training was a lot tougher than he had expected. They ran a lot, which he was already used to, and spent a lot of time in the mud. He proclaimed it would be more fun if girls in bikinis were involved, but that he was managing. He said Bridget was writing him too, plus Alex and Mari and all of the Manosos including Abuela Rosa, and that mail call was the highlight of his day.

I was flying from Miami to Newark for Mary Lou's shower when I read his latest missive.

_Hey Beautiful,_

_How's Miami? And my cousin; is he treating you well? Things here are getting tougher, but I'm loving every minute of it. Ok, I don't love it when the drill sergeants get in my face and give me a piece of their mind about…well, everything, but everything else I love. I wake up tired and go to bed exhausted…it's the best thing ever. I'm so proud that I am going to be a soldier and defend our country._

_Bridget says Kentucky is boring after living in Miami, but that she needed a break. Apparently, she's missing my gorgeous body. I may be paraphrasing there. Anyway, I better go before it's lights out. I miss you and your beautiful smile. Keep Carlos in line._

_Love ya,_

_Les_

I couldn't help but smile. I missed Les and his sense of humor. Of course, at that moment, I really missed Carlos. I hate flying and the turbulence on the plane was making me a nervous wreck. Carlos had wanted to go with me that weekend, but it was his weekend to work and it would have been too difficult to switch. I would rather have him with me for the wedding than the shower anyway.

XXXXXXXXX

My flight arrived in Newark on time and Ricardo and Maria met me. It was the perfect opportunity for a visit, since I would be busy all day Saturday and flying back to Miami mid-day Sunday. They took me to their house for a delicious dinner, and then Ricardo drove me to Trenton.

I was flabbergasted when I walked in the front door of my parents' house: there on the couch was Valerie, with what looked like a basketball under her shirt, stretched out and laughing. On the other end of the couch…Joe Morelli, rubbing my sister's feet! I gasped at the sight, which caught their attention, and their gazes quickly turned to me.

"Hey Steph!" Val screeched excitedly. Despite her present company, I was happy to see her too. I hadn't seen her since Christmas.

"Hi Val! How are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know…bored out of my mind!"

"I can imagine. I don't think I'd do very well sitting around all day."

"Trust me, you wouldn't! You have way more energy than I do on a normal day, and it's killing _me_!"

Joe hadn't said anything, but his eyes hadn't left my face either. I figured I had been rude long enough and turned my attention to him. "Hi, Joe."

"Steph."

I couldn't tell if that was an "I'm still angry with you for running me over with your car" Steph, or a "You're interrupting my…date" Steph. I decided not to try and figure it out. "Well, I'm pretty tired from my flight, so I'll talk to you more in the morning, Val. Have a nice night, Joe."

Both of them called, "Night!" as I headed up the stairs with my bag. I had barely reached the top when I heard Val giggling again, and the deep baritone of Joe's laugh.

I ducked into the bathroom to get ready for bed. When I stepped back into the hall, Mom was standing there waiting for me. "Hello, dear. How was your flight?"

"Bumpy," I said with a smile.

"I've always hated to fly. Not long after your father and I first started dating, he got drafted…"

"Got drafted? What do you mean?"

"Yes, Baby. Daddy was drafted during Vietnam. I have never been so scared in all my life. I was certain I was going to lose him before we even got to start our lives together. He had to go through basic training and I was able to go visit him in Georgia."

"That's where Les is doing his basic training too."

Mom nodded. "We had hoped he would go to Fort Dix here in New Jersey, but for some reason he was sent to Georgia. Anyway, the flight was so bumpy I was certain the wings of the plane were going to fall off. I've been a nervous flier ever since."

"Why hasn't Daddy ever said a word about his time in the military?"

"Your father is proud to have served his country, but it isn't something he likes to discuss. He was a great soldier. There were a lot of lives lost in Vietnam, and he lost a lot of close friends, but he survived. He came back to me."

"Do you think he would talk to me about it if I asked?"

"Hmmm, I don't know Stephanie. You can try, just don't push too much, ok?"

"Ok. Is he already sleeping?"

"Yes, he had a tiring day at the Post Office and turned in early. I wanted to make sure you got home alright before I turned in. Plus…"

"…Morelli's still here," I finished for her.

"Exactly. I'm trying to trust him. Valerie trusts him, but he has a history with our family."

"I know Mom. Believe me, I know. I'm going to go call Carlos and then head to bed myself, I'm beat."

"Sleep well."

I wished my mother good night and then went into my room. I couldn't believe my dad had never mentioned being in the Army! There were no pictures, no medals, not a word ever said. And for Mom to throw it out so casually? I didn't understand it, but I was too tired to question it right then. I grabbed my cell phone before climbing into bed.

"Hey Babe," Carlos said after only one ring.

"Wow. That was fast, Batman, it barely rang."

"I was waiting for your call. I didn't want to miss it."

"How was work?"

"It was…tough."

"Care to elaborate?"

Carlos heaved a heavy sigh. He never sighs. "Are you alright, Carlos? Did something happen?"

"We were checking on an alarm at an estate we monitor. We were entering the front door and the next thing I knew, Todd was shoving me out of the way. He took a bullet to the chest."

"Oh my God, Carlos. Is he ok? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, but I wouldn't have been if he hadn't shoved me. It hit him on the right side and thankfully he'll recover. It would have hit me right in the heart."

I couldn't control the sob that escaped my mouth. I sat there for I don't know how long crying. "I could have lost you."

"I'm ok, Babe. I told Mike I wouldn't work in the field without a vest anymore. He promised me he would get some."

"Why didn't he have any before?" I was baffled.

"I'm not sure, Babe. I guess he thought that since he was just monitoring private homes there wasn't any real danger involved? I don't know. I've been pushing him to get us vests, and I think he's listening now."

"Are you sure you want to keep working there, Carlos?" I already knew the answer before the question came out of my mouth, but I had to ask it.

"I love it, Babe. I know there's an element of danger, but I love it. I promise you, I'll make sure we're more secure."

"Ok." I didn't know what else to say. Carlos has always been so supportive of me and my choices, my dreams. I couldn't ask him to not do what he so obviously enjoyed.

"Tell me about _your_ day, Babe."

"I had dinner with your parents. The food was wonderful, as always. Your brother and sisters are doing great. They seem so glad that it's summer vacation. And then when I got home, Joe Morelli was on my couch."

"Really? How did _that_ go?"

"It was…awkward. He didn't say much, but Val seemed very happy with his company. And that's all that really matters."

"Just don't let him give you a hard time, Babe."

"No worries. If he does, I'll just borrow Dad's Buick." That got a loud laugh. "Oh, and speaking of my dad, I had a really weird conversation with my mom tonight."

"What was weird about it?"

"She told me my dad was in the Army. Apparently he served in Vietnam. But this is the first time they've ever mentioned it to me."

Carlos was silent for a few moments. "Are you going to talk to your dad?"

"Damn skippy. I don't know how much he'll tell me, but I definitely plan to ask him about it."

"Vietnam was really horrible, Babe. Don't be surprised if he isn't comfortable sharing much."

"Ok." I didn't know what else to say.

"So, the shower is tomorrow?"

"Yes. Mary Lou's mom reserved the VFW hall and it starts at one. I hope to get in a good workout in the morning and then spend some time with Val before the shower."

"I'm working a shift and a half tomorrow, helping to cover for Todd, then I'll swing by the hospital to see him. Can I call you around nine or ten tomorrow night?"

"You can call me whenever you want, Carlos. I only have solid plans from about 12:30 until maybe 3:30 at the latest. But I'll have my cell phone."

"Ok. I might call you on my dinner break at five."

"That's perfect. We won't eat dinner until six."

We sat in silence for a few moments, just listening to each other breathe.

"I miss you so much, Babe, and it hasn't even been a day."

"I miss being in your arms, how good you smell, and how your warm breath feels on my neck. I miss running my fingers across your chest."

"I miss your soft skin. I miss kissing you and the little noises you make when you're really enjoying it. I miss burying myself deep inside you and the feel of your warmth enveloping me. And the gasps you make when I thrust in and out of you, and the feel of your nails raking across my back…Dios, I miss that, Babe." A moan slipped from my lips. "What I wouldn't give to be touching you right now, Babe."

"I would give anything to be in your arms right now, Carlos."

"Hurry home, Babe."

"As fast as the plane will fly. I love you, Carlos."

"I love you too, Babe. Sweet dreams."

"They always are when I dream of you."

We wished each other good night and then hung up. When I glanced at the clock I saw that it was already after 11, and I wondered if it was too late to take a cold shower.

I awoke the next morning refreshed. It was just after six, and I still had plenty of time for a good run. I used the bathroom and pulled my hair back into a messy ponytail before returning to my room to throw on a sports bra, tank top, and Spandex shorts. As I sat on the bed and laced my tennis shoes, I couldn't help but wish, once again, that Carlos were with me. I loved running with him, especially when he would do sprints, leaving me behind him to enjoy the view.

I galloped down the stairs and froze when I noticed the couch in the living room. There, still where they were last night, were Valerie and Joe. Valerie was stretched out on her left side, and Joe was sitting at the end of the couch with her feet in his lap and his head resting on the couch cushion. I smiled at the picture they made. I might not care for Joe much, but if he was making my sister happy—after all the crap she'd been through—then that was all that mattered.

I slipped out the door and started my run. I ran long and hard, thinking of Les and wondering how he was really doing at boot camp—whether he was enjoying it as much as he said he was. And I thought about my dad's Army career, and the fact that he never mentioned it. I knew some about Vietnam from what I learned in high school history, but I'm sure that sugarcoated version was nothing compared to the horrors my dad saw. It made me proud to know that he had served our country. And it reminded me how proud I was of Les.

As I rounded the corner on the way back to my house, I noticed Morelli walking down my parents' steps and heading for his car. He spotted me and stopped to wait. I hoped for the best as I jogged up to him and stopped. We stared at each other for a few moments, neither of us sure what to say. Finally, Joe broke the silence. "You look good, Steph. Happy. Miami must be treating you well."

"Miami's great, Joe. I love it there."

"That's great, Steph."

"You look pretty good too. Mom said you're a cop now. Your mother must be really proud of you."

"Yeah, it's great. Patrol is alright, but I have my heart set on working my way up to detective. And yeah, Mom's real proud. She brags about her "Joey" all over the Burg. It's kinda annoying, but I'm glad I could do something to make her happy."

I couldn't help but giggle. I could totally picture Angie Morelli telling anyone who would listen about her little Joey becoming a cop.

"So what's up with you and Val? You seem awfully cozy."

"Your sister is great, Steph. She's changed a lot since high school and I really like spending time with her."

"You do know that she's still married, right?"

"Yes..."

"And that she hasn't just gained some weight…she's having a baby?"

"Yes. Look, I'm not going to do wrong by your sister. I know she's still married. And I also know how lousy the bastard treated her. I know she's having a baby, a girl in fact. I take her to the doctor when your Mom can't, and I spend a lot of my off time with her. I like her, Stephanie."

"So you spending time with her, what does that mean to you?"

"It means I'm getting to know her better. It means…I don't know what it means."

"Well, I don't want my sister to get hurt while you're figuring that out, Joe."

"What makes you think I'm going to hurt her?"

"Have you been by the men's room of Mario's sub shop lately?" Joe visibly winced when I mentioned Mario's. That was the location of the oh-so-eloquent poem Joe wrote about me after our encounter in the Tasty Pastry.

"Look Steph, I'm not the same jerk I was back in high school. I've changed."

"So now you're a different kind of jerk?"

"I'd like to think I'm no longer a jerk. Some chick hitting me with her car gave me a lot of time to think while I pulled light duty. How is that POS car of yours, anyway? Did I do any permanent damage to it?"

"No, but the stink bomb that caused it to explode did." When I mentioned the car exploding, Joe laughed out loud and I started giggling.

"Look, Steph. I appreciate that you're sticking up for your sister—making sure I'm not going to hurt her. I can't promise that I won't, but I do promise that I'll do everything in my power not to."

I stared at him for a moment, trying to judge his sincerity. After looking in his eyes, I could see that he meant it. With a nod, I said, "Good to know."

Just then Mom popped her head out the front door. "Steph, would you be able to sit with your sister for a bit before you get ready for Mary Lou's shower? She wants me to run over to the Tasty Pastry and pick her up a cannoli. Says she's been craving one for weeks and she just can't take it any longer."

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Sure, Mom. I'll be right in." When Mom went back inside, Joe and I stared at each other for a long minute before bursting out laughing at the irony.

"I've gotta get home and get ready for work, Steph. When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

"Your mom invited me for dinner tonight. Will it bother you if I'm here?"

"Of course not, Joe."

"You think after everything we've been through, we could be friends?"

"I'd like that."

"Great! Me too. I'll see you tonight."

"Be safe," I said as he folded himself into his car. He gave a nod before shutting his door and driving away.

XXXXXXX

Val and I had a great visit while Mom was out. She told me how much she liked Joe, and how funny he was. She also said she couldn't help but notice that his ass was even better than it was in high school. I hadn't noticed but took her word for it—I didn't think his ass could beat Carlos'. She said that she'd been making some calls, and was hoping to get a job as a secretary at a local law office after she had the baby. The business classes she took in college would help, and the fact that one of the partners in the firm was an old friend of Dad's didn't hurt either. Hopefully, the family law attorney with the firm would help with her divorce.

She asked if her being friendly with Joe bothered me. I said of course not, and that I just wanted her to be happy. The hug she gave me after that told me she was indeed happy. When Mom got home, I got ready for Mary Lou's shower. I had promised to be there early to help decorate.

I pulled up to the VFW hall at noon. Mary Lou, her mom and two aunts, and our friend Tina from school were just getting started with the decorations. Soon the hall was decorated and the party was in full swing.

Mary Lou received a lot of gifts, including nearly everything from her registry. I had gotten her a gift that was a little more intimate, and planned to give it to her later. The crowd of nearly 50 enjoyed the refreshments, played party games, and indulged in cake. Afterward, Mary Lou and I volunteered to clean up so we could have some private time together. Once everyone had cleared out, we began talking.

"How's Lenny?"

"He's great! He just got into the Plumber's Union. He'd been working for a company that was paying him well, but since he's in the union now, his wage will about triple. We have our eye on a house just down the block and around the corner from your parents. We put in an offer and have our fingers crossed that they'll accept it."

"The Kowalski's house? I saw the sign out front on my run this morning. It looks like it's in pretty good condition. I remember them having one of the largest yards in the neighborhood. It'd be perfect if you want to have kids."

"We do. Maybe not right away, but soon. I got a job at the preschool over off Hamilton. The kids are so sweet, and they're getting me excited about being a mom."

"That's great, Lou. I know you'll be a great mother!"

"Thanks, Steph. What about you and Carlos? How are things there?"

"Things are going really well. I'm completely in love with him, Lou. It really scares me how much I love him."

"He seems really special, Steph. Hang on to him, the special ones don't come along real often."

"I know. I don't plan on letting him go, that's for sure."

"So…do you know that Joe Morelli has been spending a lot of time with Valerie?" she asked me hesitantly.

"Yep. He was there when I got home last night, and he and Val fell asleep on the couch together. I talked to him this morning. He promises me he won't hurt her—well, that he'll do his _best_ not to hurt her. As long as Val's happy, I'm happy for her."

"That's very mature of you, Steph. I thought for sure with your and Joe's history, that you'd be looking for the first opportunity to run him down with your dad's Buick."

"You know, the thought did cross my mind."

Mary Lou and I both laughed out loud at that. By then we had finished with the rest of the cleanup, so I let her open my gift. I had gotten her a silk nightie for her wedding night. It was delicate and simple, but incredibly beautiful. Mary Lou held her mouth open and her eyes were wide as she stared at the garment in the box.

"Steph, this is lovely! Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're my best friend, Lou. You deserve something beautiful for your wedding night."

"Lenny's going to love this."

"He'll probably like it most on the floor."

Mary Lou laughed at that, and then wrapped her arms around me in a huge hug.

"You're the best friend a girl could have, Steph."

"Right back at you."

After another quick hug, we gathered up our things and headed our separate ways. I went home to a delicious dinner made by my mom, including pineapple upside-down cake. Joe and Val sat next to each other at the table, and when Val started to get tired, he quickly helped her upstairs. He stayed with her for the rest of the evening, and was still there when I went to bed.

I spent some time talking with Daddy about his time in the Army. He didn't want to say much about Vietnam, but he obliged as much as he was comfortable with. I learned more about my father in the two hours we talked than I thought possible. He told me to make sure I wrote my friend Les often—that mail call was always the highlight of boot camp.

After talking with Daddy, I called Carlos again, and he told me how happy he was that I'd be home the next day. Then he spent some time telling me all the plans he had for us when I got home, resulting in ruined panties and an overwhelming need for another cold shower.

I couldn't wait to get back to Miami!

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. I cannot believe I have more than 500 reviews. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! **

_Previously:_

_After talking with Daddy, I called Carlos again, and he told me how happy he was that I'd be home the next day. Then he spent some time telling me all the plans he had for us when I got home, resulting in ruined panties and an overwhelming need for another cold shower._

_I couldn't wait to get back to Miami!_

**Ch. 32**

It had been a quick month since I had been back in Trenton for Mary Lou's shower. When I returned to Miami, I was greeted by a very happy Carlos, who spent the rest of the afternoon and night making sure I was very happy too. We passed the time making love and reminding each other how glad we were to be back together.

Things between us had been going exceptionally well. I felt like I was living a very grownup life. I worked eight hours a day, and the more time I spent at Land's, the more I loved interior design. Carlos was putting in longer days, which limited our time together, but we still saw each other more frequently than we had during softball season.

We kept to our routine of running together and lifting weights in the morning, and then we would shower together—the highlight of my morning—and have breakfast and head to work. I continued with my self-defense classes in the evening, and met Carlos at home for dinner. Carlos had taken on more responsibility at work and was reviewing client contracts. He thought Mike wasn't offering all of the services he should and was undercharging, and spent countless hours in the evenings going over contracts and making suggestions. While he reviewed them, I would read or look through magazines and books for work, planning designs. I developed several ideas that earned me praise from our clients and Donna. We would head to bed by 10:30, 11 at the latest, but usually wouldn't go to sleep for a while. We made love every night and the more time we spent together, the more I wanted this for the rest of my life.

Les had been writing both of us with great frequency. He told me that the further into basic he got, the more he liked it and knew he was going to love being in the Army. He mentioned wanting to go to Ranger school and hoped that he would be able to pass all of the tests required. In his latest letter he told me he knew he had made the right decision, and that for the first time ever, he really felt like his Papa would be proud of him.

Carlos and I put together a care package for Les, and sent it to him about a week before we left for Mary Lou and Lenny's wedding. I included a note that said his Mama would have been incredibly proud of him too—as was I. The care package included a variety of toiletries and food items, plus a package of Tastykakes that I had picked up when I was in Trenton. I also threw in a few of his favorite car magazines.

As we left the apartment for our flight to Newark, I found a letter from Les in our mailbox. Once we had boarded and taken off, I opened it.

_Beautiful,_

_You are the best! Do you know that? You can't imagine how incredibly rough the toilet paper is here, and the new toothbrush—well I can't say enough how much I appreciate it. Although the Tastykakes were confiscated—can't have food as a gift unless there is enough for EVERYONE. The drill sergeants said to say thanks for them, though. So, at least they didn't go to waste and may have served in earning me a few bonus points with the big guys. _

_I'll be graduating from basic in early August and then immediately start AIT, which is Advanced Individual Training. I've chosen Infantry for my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty), which is a 14-week course, also here at Fort Benning. I don't get any leave between the two, but I do have the day free, as long as I stay on base. Any chance you and Carlos could come up for the graduation? It will be on August 5th at 9 a.m. and then we could spend the day together. I'll understand if you can't, just thought I'd ask._

_I love you guys! Thanks again for the care package, it meant a lot to me._

_Love, _

_Les_

"Carlos, Les wants us to come to his basic training graduation."

"When is it?"

"August 5th at 9 a.m. I'm pretty sure that's a Sunday. School won't be back in session yet; we could make it a road trip. What do you think?"

"I'll check with Mike, but I doubt it'll be a problem."

"I think that will make Les so happy."

"Me too, Babe. Me too."

The rest of the flight was uneventful. Thankfully, it wasn't as bumpy as my flight in June. Of course, I had Carlos to distract me by kissing me when there was any turbulence.

We spent three nights in New Jersey for Mary Lou's wedding. The first night we stayed at Carlos' family's house in Newark. Celia came in from Princeton to join us for dinner, which allowed us to see all of his siblings. We had a pretty intense game of spoons before we relaxed in the living room to talk about what was happening in everyone's life. Maria and Ricardo seemed very happy to have their entire brood under one roof. Carlos and I took the room in the basement, so we were able to have some privacy.

Friday and Saturday went by in a blur. Between the wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, decorating the church and the reception hall, visiting with my family, and then finally the wedding and reception, the time seemed to fly.

After a beautiful wedding and the obligatory photo shoot, we went straight to the reception hall. Unlike Alex and Mari's reception, only the bride and groom sat at the head table, so I was able to sit with Carlos. When I cried during my toast to Mary Lou and Lenny, Carlos held my hand, which helped to keep me from becoming a blubbering idiot.

After the toasts the money dance began. I always loved this tradition at weddings, where everyone pays to share a dance with the bride or groom. The lucky couple made around $300, which they planned to use for extras on their honeymoon in Niagara Falls. Mary Lou and I shared a dance; we laughed together and I told her how happy I was for her.

Val had originally planned to go to the wedding, but her blood pressure was elevated at her latest prenatal checkup, and the doctor had told her she was limited to five-minute showers and could only get up otherwise to go to the bathroom. Who can shower in five minutes? Plus, with the breakup of her marriage still fresh, watching someone else start their happily-ever-after probably wasn't her idea of a good time. Joe had elected to miss the wedding as well, and stayed with Val so my parents could attend. Mom and Dad definitely deserved some time alone, and seemed to really enjoy their night out together.

When I wasn't busy with maid-of-honor duties, Carlos and I spent the reception wrapped in each other's arms on the dance floor. Unfortunately, I couldn't convince him to do the chicken dance this time. We were oblivious to anything but each other most of the time, but managed to keep our interactions decent. Since my parents weren't as relaxed as Carlos', he had been forced to sleep on the couch in the living room. That hadn't kept us from making out like…well, like teenagers, but after two days of not sleeping next to him, I was ready to be back in Miami and our bed. And our interactions on the dance floor made me even more eager.

When we finally got home from the wedding, we were met with chaos. There was an ambulance and a police car parked in front of the house, and it seemed like every neighbor had congregated on the sidewalk. Daddy parked down the street, and we rushed to see what had happened. We had just made it to the front sidewalk when paramedics brought Val out of the house on a stretcher, carrying a tiny bundle in her arms. We froze at the sight: Val had had her baby! Joe was close behind, covered in sweat and slightly pale. He looked worse off than Val, and she was the one who had given birth. Angie Morelli followed them with a huge smile on her face.

They hadn't even made it off the front steps when my mother rushed up, asking what had happened. "Val had the baby," Joe said dazedly.

"I can see that, Joseph. Why didn't you take her to the hospital?"

"It all happened so fast. I…I…I don't know." Poor Joe, he seemed to be in shock. Mom was standing there waiting for some further explanation as the paramedics loaded Val into the ambulance.

Mrs. Morelli spoke up. "Joseph called and asked if I could come down and sit with Valerie while he ran out and got her some ice cream. She had complained of being hot and wanted some Ben and Jerry's."

"There's ice cream in the freezer."

"He offered that to her," Angie continued, "but apparently it wasn't what she wanted. Anyway, I offered to pick up some Chunky Monkey for her and bring it over. But when I got here, I could tell something was wrong. Val was lying on the couch and her face was flushed; she was sweating and in intense pain. I told Joe he needed to call an ambulance, and he had barely hung up the phone when she started screaming. I wasn't sure what we should do: should we get her into the car and drive her to the hospital, or wait for the ambulance? But before I could decide, Val was screaming that she needed to push. I tried to get her to calm down but she said she couldn't hold it in any more and she started pushing. So, I had Joseph get some hot water and towels and…well, I delivered the baby. Then the paramedics arrived and took over. They cleaned her up, cut the cord, and checked out the baby. Everything looked great with both of them, though Val's blood pressure was still elevated. They said the doctor would monitor it at the hospital, and had just finished getting her and the baby ready to go when you arrived."

"How did she have the baby so quickly? I was in labor with Val for nearly 12 hours," my mother said, the shock evident in her voice.

"She said she hadn't been feeling well most of the day, but thought it was something she ate. I guess she didn't realize she was in labor," Joe offered.

We had all been so preoccupied with Mary Lou's wedding that we hadn't even noticed. I felt horrible! "Mom, we should go meet Val at the hospital."

"Yes. Frank can you grab Val's suitcase? It's in the closet by the front door."

"I'll get it, Mrs. Plum," Carlos offered, and rushed into the house. He was back in seconds, and we all piled back into Daddy's Buick and headed to the hospital. Angie and Joe Morelli followed in his truck.

When we found Val on the maternity floor, she looked exhausted—but the baby in her arms was beautiful. "I'd like you all to meet Angela Helen Plum," Val said as we gathered around her bed. My mother's mouth opened in shock, and I'll admit, mine did too. Joe stepped to the side of the bed and rested his hand on Val's shoulder.

"She's my little angel," Val whispered, looking up at Joe's mother. "I'm not sure either one of us would have made it through tonight without you, Mrs. Morelli. Thank you! And Mom, I know I wouldn't have made it these past few months without _you_. It's an honor for me to have my daughter carry both of your names."

Mom broke into a huge smile and moved closer to Val's bedside to hug her. "She's absolutely beautiful, sweetie. Can I hold her?"

"Of course," Val said, putting the tiny bundle in her arms. Mom's face lit up as she cuddled her granddaughter. Dad moved behind her and gazed at his grandbaby, but turned down an offer to hold her. After several long minutes, Mom offered me the baby.

"Hi, little one. I'm your Aunt Steph," I whispered as I took the tiny pink bundle in my arms. She was so beautiful!

I could feel Carlos' stare and I turned so he could get a better look at her. "She's beautiful, Babe. And you're beautiful holding her. Can we add this to our 'someday'?" he whispered in my ear as his hand stroked my arm. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I looked into his and nodded.

The doctor came in shortly after and told Val that she was a very lucky woman. Apparently the placenta, which the paramedics had brought to the hospital, had shown signs of deterioration. If she hadn't delivered when she did, this could have proven fatal to the baby. He also commented on her blood pressure, saying that it was almost back to normal. Thankfully, the delivery had fixed the pre-eclampsia, and Val was going to be fine. The room gave a collective sigh of relief at that news.

Val was fading fast, so we decided it was time to leave. I passed the baby back to Mom, who placed her in the bassinet. The only one of the guys brave enough to hold her had been Joe, which thoroughly surprised me, though Dad and Carlos had spent a great deal of time staring at her. I couldn't blame them—she _was_ pretty cute. Mom stayed in the hospital with Val, while Dad, Carlos, and I headed back home. Joe seemed reluctant to leave, staying by Val's side the entire time, but Angie coaxed him out the door, saying she was exhausted and needed to go home.

As we walked in the front door of my parents' house, Dad turned to Carlos. "Well, since the couch got hauled off by the HAZMAT team, you can share Stephanie's room with her tonight." He took a step closer, and with a scary look in his eyes growled, "No funny business." Then he turned and walked up the stairs. We took his warning seriously and only slept. But I will admit, it was wonderful just to be in Carlos' arms for the night.

XXXXXXXXX

We arrived back in Miami on Sunday, July 22nd, and the two weeks until Les's graduation from basic training went quickly. Bridget came back from Kentucky the first of August, and rode with us to Georgia. Alex and Mari flew in and drove Abuela Rosa to the graduation. They were looking forward to spending the time with her.

We arrived in Georgia on Saturday evening. Carlos and I spent time walking around Columbus, the city where Fort Benning is located. It was a charming Southern town and we enjoyed taking in the sights. We had a nice dinner with Alex, Mari, Abuela Rosa, and Bridget before heading back to our hotel.

Les's graduation was inspiring. Seeing all the young men and women standing there ready to serve their country was humbling. When they were dismissed, he rushed to us, swept Bridget up into his arms, and planted a very hot kiss on her. I guess nine weeks away would cause that type of reaction! He greeted the rest of us with hugs and kisses, though thankfully not as enthusiastically as his greeting to Bridget. He then showed us around the base and introduced us to some of the men he had become friends with. The guy that stood out the most was Tim Woodrow. He was incredibly tall—at least three inches taller than Les—and had a drawl that reminded me a little of Bridget's accent. He told Abuela Rosa he was "from just outside o' Dallas, ma'am". Les seemed particularly close to Tim, and I suspected we'd be hearing more about him in the future.

We spent the rest of the day on base with Les, then went back to the Marriott for the night. It was a long drive the next day back to Miami, about ten hours, but seeing the excitement on Les's face had made it worthwhile. Grandma Mazur called me while we were driving back and invited us all to her house for dinner. After a long road trip, I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with Carlos, but we had to eat, so we accepted her offer.

At dinner, Alex and Mari talked about moving to Miami. Alex was being "headhunted" by one of the top construction companies in Miami. They had an entire list of projects planned and had heard of his successes in Colorado. Apparently they were desperate to hire him, and even wanted to bring some of his top guys with him. Mari was completely open to the move, which made me happy—I really liked her! Alex seemed really excited and hoped to nail down the details the next day. If the negotiations panned out, he was going to accept the job, and they would be moving at the beginning of next month. Mari had two conferences she had to go to in early September, one in Newark and one immediately following it in San Francisco, so she wouldn't be able to join Alex in Miami until the middle of September. Abuela Rosa was of course thrilled at the prospect of having another family member close by again.

XXXXXXX

Carlos and I celebrated his 20th birthday on August 12th. With Les and Cal gone and Bobby away at a basketball camp, he didn't want a party, so instead we went to Abuela Rosa's house for dinner. Grandma and Grandpa Mazur and Bridget joined us. Rather than a birthday cake, Carlos had requested his favorite dessert, caramel flan. Rosa was happy to oblige and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Bridget left right after dinner, but Carlos and I stayed and visited for a while.

I loved to watch my grandparents interact with Abuela Rosa. She was a spitfire and seemed to bring the spirit out in my grandma. On more than one occasion my grandpa told her she sure was "getting feisty in her old age". In truth, I think Grandpa liked that side of her. A few hours after dinner, Carlos and I headed back home.

Bridget had left a note saying she was out with some girlfriends, so we had the apartment to ourselves. Carlos turned on the CD player and we held each other in the dark living room and danced. "This is the best birthday I've ever had, Babe."

"Really? But we didn't do anything special."

"Celebrating it with you made it special. I love you, Steph."

"I love you too, Carlos." We shared an intimate kiss before he led me to the bedroom. We could still hear the stereo from the living room, which made me question how often our roommates heard our lovemaking. I didn't dwell on that thought too long, as Carlos did an excellent job distracting me with the things he was doing with his tongue on my neck.

Before I knew what was happening, I was lying naked on the bed and Carlos was climbing up from the bottom, kissing his way up my body. I was nearly overheated by the time he sucked my clit into his mouth, sending me flying over the edge. I had barely calmed down from my first orgasm when he put one and then another finger into my dripping wet pussy. I arched into him and cried out again as he alternated between licking and sucking my clit. My breath was ragged, but I managed to sit up, pull his face to my mouth, and give him a passionate kiss.

He allowed me to push him onto his back. I whispered huskily, "My turn" before kissing my way down his body. I paid extra attention to his nipples and then kissed each and every rippled muscle in his stomach. As I kissed my way lower, I stroked his massive length with my hand. When I dipped my head lower to lick the pre-cum from the tip of his cock, he sucked in a breath and arched toward me. Taking it as a request, I wrapped my mouth around him and began licking and sucking as I bobbed my head up and down. It wasn't long before Carlos' breath became labored and he was spilling into my mouth. He lay there with his arms thrown over his face trying to regain his composure, as I kissed back up his body. I placed gentle kisses on his neck and jaw and then one on his mouth. He placed his hand on the back of my head and held me to his mouth, kissing me deeply. Breaking the kiss, I pulled back and said, "Happy Birthday."

XXXXXXXX

School started back on August 27th. I had a full courseload, including the next interior design course, and was still working part-time for Donna at Land's Designs. Since I could only work part-time, she was also able to hire Bridget as an intern. All of my classes were early in the morning so I could work afternoons, while Bridget's classes were in the afternoon and early evening, so she worked mornings. Between the two of us, we filled a full-time position.

Bridget and I spent a lot of time together working on projects, even weekends and some evenings if we were facing a deadline. I loved working with her, and we seemed to bring out each other's best ideas. We also spent a lot of time talking about Les. We sent him letters every few days, and he wrote back as often as he could. Bridget had a calendar hanging in the living room where she counted down the days until his first weekend pass. He would have to stay near the base, so she was planning to fly up for a visit. She had booked the flight and hotel, and couldn't wait for September 7th to arrive. I had the distinct feeling they wouldn't be spending much time away from that hotel room!

Bobby had already started training with the basketball team, so we didn't see him around the apartment as much. His games would start in early October and he was excited about the season. With a lot of returning players, it was projected that they would be the team to beat in their division. Bobby had started seeing Jeannette (another Kappa Zeta) when she came back to Miami in early August, so when he did have free time, it was usually spent with her. They seemed very happy together and I really liked Jeannette. When they spent time together in our apartment, it always felt like a party.

Carlos' schedule matched mine, so we continued working out together in the mornings. Evenings I would train more with the softball team, and then meet Carlos back at our apartment for dinner. At night, we would study together before going to bed. Life was perfect!

Of course I should have known better than to think that things could stay that way. And the magnitude of my error was driven home the second week of September, on an otherwise beautiful Tuesday morning.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. I cannot believe I have more than 500 reviews. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! **

**Author's Note: We are approaching a _very_ sensitive topic, one that I haven't ever seen mentioned in fan fiction. I apologize in advance if I am incorrect with any details; I'm doing my best to make sure my facts are correct. Most of my details are pulled from Wikipedia and various other sites reporting the events of that fateful day. Tissues may be needed. **

_Previously:_

_Carlos' schedule matched mine, so we continued working out together in the mornings. Evenings I would train more with the softball team, and then meet Carlos back at our apartment for dinner. At night, we would study together before going to bed. Life was perfect! _

_Of course I should have known better than to think that things could stay that way. And the magnitude of my error was driven home the second week of September, on an otherwise beautiful Tuesday morning. _

**Ch. 33**

**Stephanie's POV – Monday, September 10, 2001**

Ugh, I hated accounting! I didn't know how Mari could do that stuff for a living. I was studying for the accounting quiz that I would be taking the next morning, and I was ready to pull my hair out. Carlos had convinced me to declare a business minor to accompany my major in Interior Design: "In case you ever decide to open your own company. It might be useful."

Ok, so he wasn't wrong. The idea of owning my own firm one day was exciting, and I knew it would require a basic knowledge of business, but accounting was so _not_ my strength. I threw the textbook across the room as Carlos walked in.

He ducked to avoid the flying tome. "Whoa, Babe, looking a little crazy."

"I hate accounting! How did I let you convince me to go for a business minor?"

He joined me on the bed and pulled me into a bone-melting kiss. "I know it's tough Babe, but when you open your own firm one of these days, you'll thank me."

"Hmmm, if I haven't strangled you first. Hey, it's early, what are you doing home?"

"Abuela Rosa called. She wanted to see if we could come over for dinner. Alex finally has an evening free."

"Yum, I love your Abuela's cooking! Let me grab my shoes."

Thirty minutes later we were walking in the front door of Rosa's house and being assaulted with the most wonderful aromas. I bit back a moan, and let Carlos lead me into the kitchen. "Abuela, we're here."

"Mijo, mija, so glad you could make it! And Stephanie, I made your favorite, empanadas. Will you help me set the table?"

"Of course. Where's Alex?"

"He's out back, on the phone with Mari. He should be right in." Moments later, the back door opened and Alex walked in.

"Hey guys," he greeted us, and then came over and gave me a hug and a kiss on the forehead before doing one of those complicated handshake things with Carlos.

As we gathered around the table and dished up our plates, Abuela started the conversation. "How's Mari, Alex?"

"She's great. She just finished a training conference in Newark, I think on new tax laws. Her flight leaves tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and she's flying to San Francisco for another seminar. I'm not sure what it's about—to be honest, when she starts talking numbers and tax codes, I kind of zone out."

Carlos nudged me with his knee under the table and I couldn't help but giggle. "I know exactly what you mean, Alex. I almost maimed Carlos with my accounting book earlier tonight. I have no idea how Mari does that stuff for a living."

"Tell me about it! But she really seems to enjoy it. I guess we all have to be good at something. And hey, if it weren't for that accounting crap, I might never have met her."

I smiled at him. "So after San Francisco, then what?"

"Then she's finally coming here. She already has a job with Smith Barney downtown. From what she says, they're eager for her to start, and are already talking about a junior partnership."

"Wow! That's fantastic."

"Like I said, she's good at what she does."

"Maybe she'll tutor you, Babe?" Carlos suggested with a smirk.

"Maybe she will," I replied, entirely serious.

The rest of the dinner was spent discussing our jobs and the exploits of Rosa and Edna. They were becoming quite a pair and I found myself nearly spitting my water across the table at some of the things they were up to. When we finished dinner around 7:30, Carlos and I walked down the block to visit Grandma and Grandpa.

"Well look what the cat dragged in, Harry, Carlos and Stephanie are here. Come in, come in!" Grandma greeted us enthusiastically, giving me a kiss on the cheek as we walked inside.

"Hi baby girl, what brings you to our side of town?" Grandpa greeted me without getting up from his chair. He looked a little pale.

"Abuela Rosa invited us for dinner. Are you feeling ok, Grandpa? You look a little pale."

"Oh, same old same old. My blood pressure is a little high and I've been having some heart palpitations, but the doc just says to take it easy and try to stay relaxed. So your Grandma's been waiting on me hand and foot."

I turned to look at Grandma and that was when I noticed how tired she looked. "Grandma, sit down and relax. We can stay for a little bit and I'll get anything Grandpa needs."

"That sounds good to me baby, my dogs are barking."

Grandma sat down on the couch beside Carlos, and I went and got us all glasses of iced tea. We spent about an hour catching up before Carlos and I left to head back to our apartment—we both had studying to do. I kissed them both goodnight and made Grandma promise to call me if she needed any help.

**Frank's POV**

"Helen, dinner was wonderful. I love your roast chicken."

"Thank you, Frank!"

"Yes, it was great, Mrs. Plum," Joe added. That boy had eaten more meals at my dinner table in the last few months than I liked, but the way he looked at Valerie and baby Angie made me willing to forgive his youthful transgressions. I would never forget them, but if Stephanie could forgive them, so could I.

"Helen, don't forget that I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for my meeting with Jack."

"Who's Jack, Daddy?" Valerie asked while she rocked Angie. Helen was just sitting back down after bringing in chocolate cake for everyone.

"Jack's an old Army buddy. He works for Morgan Stanley in New York City. He handles my retirement account, and we have a meeting to discuss the investments he's made on my behalf to see if it's smart for me to retire this year, or if I should hold out longer."

"I didn't know you were in the Army, Mr. Plum."

"Daddy served in Vietnam," Val whispered.

Joe looked at me hard for a moment with equal parts awe and sympathy. I cleared my throat and said, "Anyway. Helen, I'll be leaving here at five in the morning. It should take me about an hour and a half to get downtown, and we're going to grab breakfast before our meeting, which is scheduled for eight. I should be done around nine or half past and then I'll head home. Did you need me to pick anything up while I'm in the city?"

"No, dear."

We all finished eating dessert and I headed to the living room to watch TV.

"So, Mr. Plum, when were you in 'Nam?" Joe asked, joining me on the couch.

I had guessed by the way Morelli had been staring at me through dessert that this question was on the tip of his tongue. This wasn't a topic I wanted to talk about: my discussions about it with Stephanie had stirred up enough bad memories, and I didn't want any more. But I also didn't want to be rude, especially since he was now holding my precious granddaughter while Valerie and Helen cleaned up the kitchen.

"I was drafted in '72." I didn't want to tell him that I was in Special Forces and ended up staying until '75. It wasn't his business. He was looking at me expectantly, but I kept my face blank, unwilling to give him any more information. Thankfully, he let the subject drop.

"I'm heading to bed, Helen," I told my wife as she and Valerie came into the living room.

"I'll go up with you. It's been a long day." We told Joe and Valerie good night and went upstairs to bed.

**Stephanie's POV – Tuesday, September 11, 2001, 7 a.m. **

As Carlos and I jogged through the park, I couldn't help but think what a gorgeous day it was for a run. The sun was shining, the birds were singing—it was as if the world didn't know I had an accounting quiz coming up. I was nervous about this quiz, but I knew as soon as it was over, the rest of the day would be smooth sailing.

Donna and I were meeting with a client that afternoon, and I had worked countless hours all week on designs for their new house. They had contracted Land's Designs to decorate their entire home. They wanted a sleek modern look that would flow through the entire place. It meant a huge paycheck for Donna, and she promised a bonus for each room design chosen. I had submitted designs for every room and was really hoping for multiple bonuses.

Carlos and I finished our shower, and he quizzed me from my accounting notes while I got ready. We drove to campus separately so we could each go to work directly from class, but parked next to each other. I started to get a funny feeling in my stomach and the hairs on my arms were standing on end. I figured the unease was due to my impending doom on the accounting quiz. With a quick kiss outside of the business school building, I headed in to class.

Class began at 8 a.m. and we had 50 minutes to complete the quiz. As I worked my way through the questions, my unease grew. I stood to turn in my paper at 8:48, and I noticed I was the last student in the room. I was gathering my things when someone outside screamed, "OH MY GOD!" My professor and I locked eyes and raced out to see what was going on.

Right outside of the classroom was a lounge area, with a television, almost always muted and tuned to CNN. On the screen was a horrifying sight: the World Trade Center was on fire.

"Someone turn up the volume," Professor Vreeland commanded.

As the sound came on, more students began to gather around the TV.

"This just in… You are looking at obviously a very disturbing live shot there. That is the World Trade Center, and we have unconfirmed reports this morning that a plane has crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. CNN Center right now is just beginning to work on this story, obviously calling our sources and trying to figure out exactly what happened, but clearly something relatively devastating happening this morning there on the south end of the island of Manhattan. That is once again, a picture of one of the towers of the World Trade Center," the CNN reporter announced.

Everyone stood stock still, staring at the television as we learned that it was the World Trade Center's North Tower that the plane had hit. Professor Vreeland grabbed my hand and whispered, "My brother works there."

I didn't know what to do or what to say to her, so I just squeezed her hand and asked, "What floor?" It looked like the plane hit high, so if she named a low floor, that might mean he was ok.

"Thirty-eight."

"It had to have hit higher than that. I'm sure he'll be just fine." She gave me a watery smile and nodded her head. I prayed I was right.

We stood there for what seemed like hours, but was probably only minutes. I glanced at my watch and said, "I have to go" to no one in particular.

I rushed across campus to the building that held my Interior Design class. It was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. but I wasn't concerned about being late. When I arrived, I could barely get inside as the building's lobby was also full of students that were glued to the television.

Professor Morris was standing at the back of the crowd and I walked over to her. "Do they know what's happening? Was it an accident?"

"I don't know. They think so, but no one knows for sure. They don't know what's happening."

We turned our attention back to the television and moments later every student in the lobby jumped as another plane hit the second tower. There were shouts of "Holy Jesus!" and "Oh my God!" I stood completely still, unable to breathe. What in the world was happening?

"I have to go," I said to Professor Morris and ran out of the building. I ran the entire way to my car and drove as fast as I could back to my apartment. I needed to be there. No, I needed Carlos. This didn't make any sense.

I burst into the apartment and was fumbling with the TV remote when Bobby nearly gave me a heart attack. "Where's the fire, Steph?"

"AHHHHH! Jesus, make some noise! Why aren't you at school? Oh my God, have you seen the news? Did you see? Oh my God!"

"Calm down, Steph. Take a breath. What's wrong?"

Before I could say anything, Carlos burst in the door.

"Turn on the TV. Why aren't you watching the TV?" Carlos shouted as he made his way around the couch and pulled me into his arms.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?"

Before Carlos and I could say anything, Bridget came out of her bedroom and asked, "What's all the commotion about? Why aren't you guys in class?"

Carlos took the remote from my hands and turned the TV on, tuned it to CNN, and then held me tight. We flopped down on the couch, stunned. Bobby and Bridget stood frozen for a minute, taking in the scene on the television before slowly lowering themselves to the floor.

"Shit! I need to call Donna," Bridget said, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

I glanced at Bobby when I heard a choking noise. It looked like he wasn't breathing. "Bobby?" When he didn't respond and kept his eyes glued to the television, I stood up and went over to him, touching his face to try to get his attention. "Bobby? Are you ok?"

He shook his head no and then turned his gaze back to the television. Another breaking news shot reported that a plane had crashed into the Pentagon. It felt like we were living in the Twilight Zone. We continued to watch the news of the devastation in New York and Washington D.C., and just before 10 a.m., the South Tower collapsed.

"Madre de Dios!" Carlos shouted.

Bobby stood, grabbed an end table, and threw it through the sliding glass door. We stared in shock until he collapsed on the floor crying. I glanced at Carlos and Bridget, unsure what to do, and then crawled to Bobby.

He pulled me into a tight hug and cried. There were tears falling down my cheeks and in Bridget's eyes as I looked at her over Bobby's shoulder. Moments later, she wrapped her arms around him from behind. I felt Carlos move closer and soon he was holding me as I held Bobby.

We sat on the floor and cried, while we heard reports of the North Tower collapsing as well. I don't know how long we sat huddled together. At some point I whispered, "Are you ok, Bobby?"

Through a choked sob, Bobby said, "My Uncle Thomas works in the World Trade Center, South Tower."

"He could be ok, maybe he wasn't there. Maybe he got out." I didn't know what to say, but I wanted to offer as much support as I could.

"He hasn't missed a day of work in ten years. And he works in Insurance on the 103rd floor," he whispered. We had heard the plane hit around the 81st floor. If his uncle was there, on the 103rd floor, he most likely didn't get out.

I squeezed him tighter. I had no words. I tuned out the TV, unsure I could handle any more bad news. "Is there anyone you can call, Bobby? To check on your uncle?"

"I could try Aunt Chelsea. She works out of their home."

"How far away is their house? The collapse shouldn't affect her, should it?"

"They live in the suburbs, outside Manhattan.."

"Ok. Do you want to try and reach her?"

He swallowed hard and nodded. He picked up his cell phone and dialed, then closed his eyes.

I could hear the shout through the phone when it was answered. "Thomas? Thomas is that you? Are you ok?"

"Aunt Chels, it's me, Bobby."

"Oh God, Bobby! He was outside! He was outside after the first plane hit and he called me. I was on the phone with him when security said everything was fine and that he could go back in. He went back inside, Bobby. I don't know if he got out. I don't know…"

"Aunt Chelsea, calm down. If he was outside, maybe he was still far enough down in the building that he got out after the plane hit. Maybe he's ok."

"I can't get through to him on his phone. The phone lines are completely clogged."

"Try not to think the worst. Maybe he's fine and just can't reach you. Try to stay positive, ok? Call Momma, maybe she can come sit with you until you hear."

"Ok. I'll call Tammy. Pray for him, Bobby. Pray for Thomas."

"I'll pray."

He took a deep breath as he hung up the phone. "He could be all right," I whispered. "Keep the faith, ok?" He only nodded.

We sat on the floor; holding each other, praying and watching the news as they continued to cover the disasters. The news reported that a fourth plane was hijacked and said it went down outside of Pittsburgh. No survivors were reported. I'm not sure how much time had passed before the apartment phone rang. No one ever called the landline; in fact, we only had it for Internet access. I got up from the floor and made my way over to the desk behind the couch just before the machine picked up.

"Hello?"

"Stephanie?" a tear-filled voice asked.

"Val? Is that you? Are you ok?"

"Stephanie, Daddy was in Manhattan. He was at the World Trade Center, meeting with his friend about his retirement account. Steph…we can't reach him. We…" That was the last thing I remember before my world went black.

When I came to, Carlos was hovering over me. "Babe, are you ok?" he asked anxiously.

"I need to go see my grandparents."

"Is everything alright? Who was on the phone?"

"Val. Daddy was in Manhattan for a meeting at the World Trade Center. They haven't heard from him."

**Alex's POV**

What a day! I'd been in meetings all morning since 7:00, and I was starving. I had spoken to Mari at about 6:30 as she was headed to the airport for her 8 a.m. flight to San Francisco. She had told me how great the conference in Newark was, and how she was looking forward to the next one. She had also booked herself an appointment at one of the top spas in San Francisco, and was excited about indulging herself. She said after two cross-country flights and two conferences on tax laws she deserved a massage! Who was I to argue with my beautiful wife? I told her to spoil herself and that I would see her in a few more days.

Now it was nearly noon and my morning meetings were over. The new company I was working for was going to be building several high-rise developments, as well as a 12-story office building complex and a new shopping mall. I knew I was going to be busy when I got to Miami, but I hadn't anticipated _this_ level of busy.

I stepped out of the conference room from my meeting with the president and vice president to a silent office. That office was _never_ silent. We looked around and finally found the entire staff crammed into the break room, staring at the television.

"What's going on?" Jeff, the company president, asked.

"The country is under attack," one of the construction managers replied.

We turned to the television where they were reporting two airplanes had hit the World Trade Center buildings and caused their collapse, a plane had crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth had crashed in Pennsylvania.

I had to sit down. My thoughts immediately turned to Mari—she was on an airplane today. Madre de Dios, I hoped she was ok.

"Have they given flight numbers yet?" I asked, unable to hide the worry in my voice.

The vice president, Ken, looked at me, "What's wrong, Alex? You're really pale. Are you alright?"

"My wife was on a plane out of Newark today."

"Oh shit. Have they reported where the flights were coming from?"

"They mentioned Boston for at least two of them, but nothing's confirmed yet," the receptionist, Stacy, offered as I pulled out my cell phone and tried to reach Mari. It instantly went to voicemail. That was a good sign, right? Maybe she was still in the air?

"Alex, they grounded all flights a few hours ago. Maybe she just hasn't turned her phone on yet, with all the confusion," Stacy said.

Shit, shit, shit! She would have tried to call me by now to let me know she was ok. "I've gotta get out of here, guys," I said to the group.

"Go! Let us know when you find out she's ok," Ken said.

"I will." I ran to my car and then drove on autopilot to Abuela Rosa's. With mid-day traffic, it took nearly an hour for me to get there. I couldn't listen to the radio as I drove for fear that I'd cause an accident. When I walked in, Carlos, Stephanie, Bobby, Bridget, Edna, and Harry were all in Abuela's living room in front of the television. Everyone looked equally terrified and concerned. Steph and Bobby looked a little worse off than the rest.

"Has anyone heard from Mari?" I asked.

All eyes turned to me, and I'm pretty sure I detected sympathy on their faces. "Alex, mijo, have a seat. Let me get you some tea," Abuela said in what I'm sure she meant to be a comforting way.

"I don't want any tea, Abuela. I want to know if my wife's ok!"

"We're all waiting on news, Alex," Carlos said. "Not many calls are coming out of New York right now."

"Mari wasn't in New York. What news are you waiting on?"

"Steph's dad was in Manhattan for a meeting at the World Trade Center. No one's heard from him yet. And Bobby's uncle works in the South Tower. His aunt said he was outside, but had gone back in. We don't know if he made it back out," Carlos said.

"Mari's flight was this morning, right?"

"Yes. She was on her way to San Francisco from Newark."

"What flight number, do you know? I can't remember if they said any were out of Newark or not," Carlos asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she said United. Um…93, maybe?"

Every face in the room turned grim. "What? Was that one of the ones that hit the towers?"

"No," Steph whispered. "They think that's the one that crashed in Pennsylvania."

My legs turned to jelly. I sat down hard, dropped my head to my hands, and started crying. It couldn't be. It wasn't. She was fine! She had to be. We hadn't even shared our good news yet.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

**Author's Note: We are in the middle of a _very_ sensitive topic, one that I haven't ever seen mentioned in fan fiction. I apologize in advance if I am incorrect with any details; I'm doing my best to make sure my facts are correct – with Anita's help. Your response to the last chapter was overwhelming. I can't thank you enough! I'd also like to note that Rick Rescorla is a true 9/11 hero and thousands of the lives saved on that fateful day are thanks to him.**

**TISSUE WARNING!**

**You are getting this a day earlier because, 1.) I didn't want to leave you hanging with that cliffhanger until next week because 2.) I'm boycotting for the weekend as part of a group effort to get them to change the settings to allow MA content and not just remove stories that contain smut. There is a petition floating around and I hope you'll all sign it. The boycott is from 3 p.m. EST on Friday – Sunday. Thank you for sticking with me!**

_Previously:_

_**Alex's POV**_

"_No," Steph whispered. "They think that's the one that crashed in Pennsylvania."_

_My head dropped to my hands and I instantly started crying. It couldn't be. It wasn't. She was fine! She had to be. We hadn't even shared our good news yet._

**Ch. 34**

**Frank's POV**

I absolutely hate being late, but alas, there I was…late! I was supposed to meet Jack at 7 a.m. at Fran's, a café a few blocks from the World Trade Center. It was already 7:10 and I was still at least 20 minutes away. I pulled out my cell phone to let Jack know; he was actually grateful for my tardiness, because he was also running behind , and had just pulled out his own phone to call me. We amended our meeting time to 7:30.

When I walked in, Jack was seated at a booth with his back to the wall. After serving together in the military, we always fought over who got this seat whenever we met. We came to a mutual agreement on the topic about 20 years ago: whoever gets there first "wins".

While enjoying a leisurely breakfast of omelets and bacon—a treat Helen usually limits to Saturday mornings—we talked about family and work, saving the money talk until we got to his office. As we walked over to the World Trade Center, enjoying the beautiful day, we talked about our children. Jack had twin girls who were freshmen at NYU, studying political science and economics. They shared an apartment near campus with three other friends. He had offered to pay for their apartment, but they adamantly refused, although they did accept his help with tuition. He was so proud of how determined they were to make it on their own.

I told him about Stephanie studying Interior Design in Miami and her successes at getting on the softball team and earning a full scholarship. And I told him about Valerie and her scumbag husband Steve. Jack offered to help find a divorce attorney, but I assured him that Valerie had it covered. She had recently started working at a law office in Trenton as a secretary, and the family law attorney there offered to help secure her divorce at a greatly discounted rate. I told Jack I thought it was because the guy had a crush on Val, and that I was keeping my eye on the clown. He laughed and I said, "No, really, his name is Kloughn!"

By the time we got to the South Tower, I was showing him pictures of my beautiful little granddaughter, Angela. As we waited for an elevator, Jack brought up Vietnam. "Hey, you remember that platoon leader from 'Nam? Rick Rescorla?" he asked.

"The name rings a bell."

"He was Larry's platoon leader. Remember Larry?"

"Oh yeah, I remember Larry. The old fool hit on Helen right in front of me. Thought I was going to have to kill him right there at Fort Benning, in front of everyone. And yes, now I remember Rick. Good guy, great soldier."

"He runs security for my company. Let's see, it's about 8:35 right now, he should be in his office on 44, you want to stop in and say hello before we head up to my office on 73?"

"Sure." We rode the elevator up to 44 and I followed Jack down the hall to Rick's office. His door was open, so we walked in and Rick stood to shake Jack's hand.

"How you been, Jack? What brings you down to my floor?"

"Rick, you remember Frank Plum? He was in my platoon in 'Nam."

"Plum?" he said, staring at me for a minute, no doubt imagining me nearly 30 years younger. "Yeah, I remember you. How are you, Plum? What have you been up to?"

We made small talk for a while about our families. Rick's daughter was getting married the next week and he was thrilled. Our conversation stopped abruptly when we heard what sounded like an explosion and felt a slight rumble. I glanced at my watch; it was 8:46.

Rick's line rang seconds later. "Hang on guys, I gotta take this," he said to us as he picked up the phone. He listened for a few seconds before looking out his window. Jack and I followed his glance and noticed what looked like paper floating down from the sky. "Shit, we need to evacuate," he said to whomever he was speaking to. As he hung up, the speaker system squawked to life, saying to remain in the building—that it was secure and the damage was contained to Tower One.

"What's going on, Rick?" Jack asked.

"A plane hit the North Tower. We need to get our people out of here. I've gotta make a quick call and then we need to get going."

"Frank and I will go up to 74 and get everyone to start heading down," Jack said. We rushed out of Rick's office, took the elevator up to 74, and started the evacuation. While employees were piling into the elevators, Jack and I ran down the stairs to 73. People there were already moving to the elevator banks.

"Rick's been running us through evacuation drills every couple of months since the bombing in '93. This is second nature to us. I want to grab a couple flashlights just in case and then we'll head down too." I followed Jack into a break room, and while he grabbed flashlights, I pulled a first aid kit off the wall.

By this point we could hear Rick on the PA system exhorting all Morgan Stanley employees to evacuate immediately. We ran back to the elevator bank and headed down. It seemed to take forever to descend—the cab stopped at every floor, despite already being full. Jack explained that the WTC had several sets of elevators: express cars ran from the ground floor to lobbies on 44 and 78, and anyone needing to get to floors between those had to take smaller "local" elevators, as we were now doing. We realized that we probably should have gone up to 78 and taken an express all the way down to the ground, but by then we were passing 60 and there was no point.

Finally we got to 44 and headed across the hall to wait for an express car, along with dozens of other Morgan Stanley employees. Everyone was nervous but seemed to be treating the event like a fire drill—at least it was a nice day to have to go stand around outside. By this time it had been about 15 minutes since we left Rick's office. As we reached the express elevator bank, someone at the end of the hall near the windows yelled, "What the?" and a loud explosion shook the entire building, throwing everyone to the ground. It was all far too reminiscent of Vietnam.

Cries of fear and confusion rang out around us as the lights went out. Jack yelled, "Use the stairs, not the elevators!", clicked on the flashlight he had grabbed, and pointed it at the nearest stairwell door. The crowd surged into the stairwell, where we were greeted by utter chaos. Reflectors on the stair risers—added courtesy of Rick, after the '93 bombing—shone in the dim glow of the emergency lights, helping to guide us on our way down. We could hear Rick below us, yelling through his megaphone to keep moving.

As we passed Rick on his way up, he stopped us. "This building isn't going to hold. I've got to get make sure everyone gets out of here."

"What can we do to help?" I asked.

"Nothing. You get yourselves out of here. My security team and I will help get the stragglers out."

Jack gave a reluctant nod, and Rick continued up the stairs behind us. We went down another level before Jack pulled a door open.

"Jack! What are you doing? We need to get out of here!"

"What if one of your girls was trapped in there? Wouldn't you want someone to stop and check?"

Without hesitating, I yelled out, "Is anybody still in here?" as I pointed the flashlight into the darkened hallway. "Hello!"

We didn't hear anyone yelling back and I turned to look at Jack. "Next floor?"

He sighed and nodded. I don't think he liked being in the building any more than I did, but we couldn't knowingly leave anyone behind. We made our way down the stairs, stopping to yell into the hallways as we reached each level.

We made it to the 5th floor before I started getting a very bad feeling. By now, we had been descending for about 45 minutes. "Jack, this building isn't going to hold. We really need to get out of here. Let's step it up."

"God I hope you're wrong, but I think you're right, let's move it."

He gave a nod and we double-timed it down the remaining stairs, stopping only briefly to yell in each floor to "Get Out!" There were still a few firefighters surging upward as we made our way down. A woman who had fallen was sitting on a landing crying. Jack hoisted her up and draped her arm over his shoulder to help her down the remaining stairs.

We finally reached the ground floor and had only made it a few feet out of the building when we heard a tremendous roaring sound above us and the ground started shaking. We took off running as fast as our older bodies would allow, faster than I had in more than twenty-five years. I was wrapped up in one of those "life flashing before your eyes moments" and thanking my lucky stars that Rick had us evacuate immediately. I chanced a look over my shoulder just as an enormous gray cloud of dust and debris hit me like a wall. I heard Jack shout "RICK!" just before my world went black.

**Mari's POV**

What an amazing morning. The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect, and if I hadn't had to get on a flight to San Francisco, I would have loved to take a walk around the park and visit more with Alex's extended family. But alas, my flight awaited me. I was in the taxi on the way to the airport when I decided to give Alex a call. I knew once I arrived at the airport I wouldn't have time, and I wanted to talk to him before my flight to tell him I love him. You know…just in case. I'm sort of a nervous flyer.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, baby."

"Morning, Mari. Where are you? How are you feeling this morning? Any way I can convince you to just come here instead of going to another conference?"

"Oh, don't I wish. I miss waking up next to my husband."

"Your husband misses waking up next to you. You didn't say how you were feeling."

"I'm fine, baby. You know my morning sickness ended before I left for Newark."

"I'm just worried about you."

"I know, but I promise, I'm fine."

"I just hate you traveling so much this early in your pregnancy. You need more rest than you're getting. What time is your flight?"

"It's at eight. United flight 93. I should be in San Francisco by a little after two our time. Can I call you when I arrive?"

"You can call me whenever you want to, baby. I'll be in meetings the entire morning, but should be finished sometime around noon. So I'll talk to you when you land?"

"Sounds great. I love you, baby. Have a great day."

"Fly safe. I love you too."

I hung up with Alex and absently rubbed my still flat stomach. A baby. I still couldn't believe I got pregnant just after my honeymoon. What can I say, I was distracted while we were away, and forgot to take a couple of my birth control pills. It could happen to anyone. And Alex couldn't be more thrilled if he tried. I couldn't help but smile at the thought of how he had been treating me. You would think I had a label stuck to me that said "Handle With Care". He had practically waited on me hand and foot since the moment we found out I was pregnant, not even letting me help pack our apartment for the move to Miami. We planned on telling our families in the next week or so when I was a little further into my second trimester. He was afraid to tell anyone sooner for fear of jinxing us. But with things looking so good, it was only a matter of time before all of our friends and family would know.

As the cab pulled to a stop in front of the Newark airport, I pulled some cash out of my wallet to pay the driver, and then tossed the wallet back into my purse on the floor. I opened the door to get out and managed to drop my phone on the ground, breaking the screen and sending the battery flying. Damn it! I was glad I had already talked to Alex, and would call him when I checked into my hotel in San Francisco. Grabbing my purse and luggage, I made my way inside to the ticket counter to check my bag. By then, it was just after 7 a.m., slightly less than an hour until my eight o'clock flight, and I needed to hurry. Thankfully the line wasn't long, but when I opened my purse at the ticket counter I realized my wallet wasn't there. I must have missed my purse when I thought I tossed it back in while paying the cabbie! This left me with no identification to get on the airplane. Double damn it! I rushed out front to see if my cab was still there, but of course it was long gone. I blame pregnancy brain, but I had no recollection of the cab company's name, so even if I hadn't broken my cell phone, I still wouldn't have known where to call.

Feeling defeated and on the verge of tears—damned hormones!—I made my way to the airport security office to see if there was any way I could get on the plane without my driver's license. They said I had to have some form of identification, and suggested I go to the police station, where they might be able to get me a temporary ID. I was definitely going to miss my flight. Crap!

Heading back out front in a vain attempt to see if the cabbie perhaps had come back, I spotted a policeman. I approached him with my best smile and explained the situation; he said he was just getting off duty, and offered to take me to the station with him. I accepted, and we spent an excruciating 20 minutes in rush hour traffic crawling the few miles to the station.

The Newark Police Department was a madhouse. Officer Stanton, the policeman who had driven me to the station, had to get the car back to the motor pool. He told me to go in and have a seat and someone would help me soon. Looking at the crowd, I wondered what his definition of "soon" was. Finally, at 8:40, my name was called and I was directed to a back office to describe my predicament.

We had been talking for barely two minutes when there was a quick knock on the door. "Stu, we've got a situation out here and could use another couple hands. Can I steal you a minute?"

"Sure. I'll be right back, ma'am," the officer said as he stood and left. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I was in an interrogation room. There were no windows, and a small desk with a computer and two chairs took up the entire space. I found myself staring at a picture of Officer Stu and a very pretty woman who I assumed was his wife. About five minutes after he left, I heard shouts of "Dear God!" and "What the hell?" I wondered what was going on and hoped I was safe hiding in this closet of an office.

After another 15 minutes had elapsed with no Officer Stu, I decided to peek my head out. More shouting from the hall quickly changed my mind. I plopped back into my chair, hoping the police station wasn't under attack. I have no idea how long I sat there before I realized my bladder was screaming at me. I couldn't believe Officer Stu had abandoned me, and hoped I wouldn't open the door to a hallway filled with dead bodies.

Cracking the door cautiously, I didn't see anyone, so I quickly slipped out and power-walked toward the bathroom that I had noticed on my way to the closet—er, office—I had been cooped up in. Ok, so obviously, when I'm hungry and have to pee, I'm cranky. And I maybe slightly overexaggerate things, but it seemed like I had been there forever and I needed to get to San Francisco _today_! I hoped that I could find someone to help me after I relieved myself.

A few minutes and a great amount of relief later, I ventured out of the bathroom. It was almost 10 a.m. and I had been in the police station for more than two hours. I was walking back to the front of the station when I heard screaming. I froze. Should I keep moving forward, or head back to the security of the hole-in-the-wall I was stuck in before? I could hear people crying, and unwilling to risk my safety or that of my unborn baby, I headed back to the office.

I waited for another two hours, until Officer Stu finally came back. He had a strange look on his face. "Oh my God…I'm so sorry, I forgot you were in here."

I was quickly approaching my boiling point. I was frustrated, starving, and I had to pee again! "I've been here for nearly four hours. Four hours! I tried to come out earlier but with all the screaming going on I thought we were under attack or something!"

I couldn't read the look that crossed his face before he said, "I'm sorry, ma'am."

"You're sorry? You're sorry! I'm starving to death in here. I should have been halfway to San Francisco by now and I'm not even one step closer to being able to get on an airplane, and you're sorry? I don't want you to be sorry, officer, I just want you to help me. Please!"

He took a deep breath and said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry but you aren't going to be able to get on an airplane today."

"And just why not?"

"Our country _is_ under attack, ma'am. Two airplanes flew into the World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed just outside of Pittsburgh. They've grounded all flights. I would really like to help you, but I need to head into the city and see if I can find my wife. She worked in the North Tower, and it collapsed a few hours ago. I haven't been able to reach her, and I need to go find her. Perhaps someone else can help you."

I sat frozen, feeling like a complete idiot and utter bitch. It took a moment for all that he said to sink in. Under attack? The tower collapsed? I saw black spots flashing before my eyes and then the world went dark. I'm not sure how long I was unconscious; when I came to, I saw the concerned brown eyes of Officer Stu staring back at me. "Ma'am. Are you ok?"

"I think so," I said as I sat up from my prone position on the floor. "What happened?"

"You passed out." Suddenly I remembered what he had told me.

"Oh my God, you said we were under attack. The tower fell? Which tower?"

"Both towers, ma'am. New York City is a mess, and I need to find my wife."

"Do you think they'll let you into the city? Is it even safe?"

"I don't know, but I'm hoping my badge will help. And safe? Your guess is as good as mine, but I have to do something."

Just as Officer Stu was helping me to my feet, his door opened. "Stu, we need you out here, man."

"Come with me this time?" he asked. I took a shaky breath and gave a nod. We headed out to the lobby where practically everyone was glued to the television. They were replaying the footage of the planes crashing into the towers and the Pentagon. They showed people covered in soot crossing the bridges on foot in an attempt to escape the city. Footage of the disaster was on every channel, and as I took it all in I felt myself sway.

"You should sit down," Officer Stu said from behind me as he took my arm and helped me into a chair. "You look pale, are you alright?"

"I haven't eaten anything other than a granola bar this morning around six. I was going to grab something at the airport, but never had a chance, and I'm about 12 weeks pregnant."

"Wait right here," he said as he walked away. I only hoped whatever it was this time, it wouldn't take two hours—I didn't think I'd last that long. He returned a few moments later. "Here, eat these peanut butter crackers. It isn't much, but it will help until we can get you something else."

"Thank you. And I'm so sorry for earlier."

"Hey, I understand. My wife had a baby a year ago, and if she got hungry at all while she was pregnant…well, let's just say I tried to make sure she was always fed. So I completely understand."

"Thank you. Where is your baby?"

"Normally he's in day care in her office building, but thank God he's with my mother today. I just wish my wife were with her too."

"She'll be ok," I said.

"God, I hope so. Look, I've really got to get out there and help. Stay here, and I promise I'll come back later and make sure you're ok."

I gave a nod and he quickly left. I glanced out the glass front windows of the police station and noticed that you could no longer see the New York City skyline because of the dirt in the air. As I took it all in, I listened as the few police officers left in the station talked about today's events. Some of their fellow officers had made their way into New York City earlier and were helping with rescue efforts. They were hopeful that none of them had perished in the collapsing towers. Nobody had any idea yet how many casualties there were, but they were estimated to be quite high and it was undoubtedly a disaster of epic proportions.

I found a vending machine and got myself a 7-Up and a few more packages of crackers with some change from the bottom of my purse, as I was still very shaky and hungry. The rest of the afternoon I spent watching the continuing coverage of the attacks. I was lost in my thoughts, and didn't even realize it had gotten dark. It finally dawned on me that I hadn't spoken to Alex since earlier this morning, before I was supposed to get on my flight.

I had just decided to try to find a phone and give him a call when I finally caught the number of the flight that went down in Pennsylvania: United Airlines flight 93. That was the one I was supposed to be on! OH MY GOD! I could have died! And even worse, Alex probably spent the entire day thinking I did die!

I rushed to the counter and begged to use their phone. They steadfastly refused, saying they needed to keep the lines open for emergencies. I had been reduced to tears when Officer Stu arrived back at the station.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

I shook my head no, unable to speak because of the lump in my throat. It took several attempts to calm myself before I was able to say, "I missed my flight."

"Yes ma'am, and again, I'm sorry. I'm not sure when they'll reopen the airports, but I promise to help you get what you need to reach your destination."

"No, you don't understand. I missed my flight. I was supposed to be on United flight 93. The one that crashed in Pennsylvania."

His face went pale and he whispered "Thank God".

"My husband thinks I was on the plane. I need to call him, _please!_ They won't let me use the phone."

"Come on, we'll go to my office." He led me down the hall to the office I had spent so much time in earlier. He handed me the phone and pointed to his chair.

I took a deep breath and sat down before dialing Alex's cell. It rang several times and just when I thought it was going to go to voicemail, he answered with a scratchy, "Hello".

I could hear the tears in his voice. Fighting back my own, I was barely able to whisper, "Alex. It's Mari." With a sob I choked out, "I missed my plane."

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

**I cannot believe I have more than 600 reviews. I am thrilled beyond words. Thank you all so very much! **

**Author's Note: This chapter deals with a _very_ sensitive topic, one that I haven't ever seen mentioned in fan fiction. I apologize in advance if I am incorrect with any details; I'm doing my best to make sure my facts are correct—with Anita's help. Most of my details are pulled from Wikipedia and various other sites reporting the events of that fateful day. Tissues may be needed. **

**This story – especially this chapter – wouldn't be what it is without Anita. Thank you!**

_Previously:_

_I took a deep breath and sat down before dialing Alex's cell. It rang several times and just when I thought it was going to go to voicemail he answered with a scratchy, "Hello". _

_I could hear the tears in his voice and fighting back more of my own, I was barely able to whisper, "Alex. It's Mari." With a sob I choked out, "I missed my plane."_

**Ch. 35**

**Lester's POV**

That settles it: if I wasn't completely in love with Bridget before, I am now! Holding her in my arms all weekend left a permanent smile on my face, which, believe me, wasn't appreciated by some of the higher-ups.

Bridget had arrived on Friday night. It felt like it had been forever since I had held her in my arms, so when I first caught sight of her, I might have stumbled a little. I was instantly hard—she just looked so smokin' hot! She was wearing a white sundress that was fitted around her amazing chest and hit just above the knee, giving me a great look at her gorgeous legs. And those shoes—I think she called them wedges—added to the length of her legs and made me drool just a little. When she got within touching distance, I pulled her into my arms and gave her what I hoped was a panty-melting kiss. I couldn't wait to get her to our room.

Our first time, I'll admit, was a little rushed. Hell, we barely made it inside the door before I pinned her up against the wall. She was already drenched when I removed her panties and I was inside of her in no time flat. It was fast, and hard, and…amazing. We were both panting on the floor after we finished. She had cum twice, so at least I knew she was satisfied. But when she whispered, "That was just an appetizer, right?" I felt myself harden again. With my best wolf grin I scooped her up and rushed to the bed, where we started in on our five-course meal. And I won't even mention dessert! We spent two nights and two days wrapped in each other's arms making love before she had to head back to Miami on Sunday evening. We only stopped to recuperate, sleep a little, and eat. Needless to say, it was an immensely satisfying weekend, and having to say goodbye was incredibly difficult.

At 0500 on Tuesday the drill sergeants pulled us from our beds for one of our long "humps"—a hike with full gear. I had been having the most amazing dream, recalling my weekend with Bridget, and I really hated that I didn't get to the grand finale. But I guess it was a good thing they woke us when they did, otherwise I would have been running with a huge mess in my shorts. They certainly don't give you much time to clean up—when they say "Run", you run!

We carried at least 45 pounds of equipment plus our rifles on these hikes, and with the high humidity, were soaked in sweat even before starting our other forms of Physical Training (PT)—sit-ups, pull-ups, and obstacle course runs. We spent the rest of the morning doing drills and training exercises before earning a break for lunch. My group had just sat down in the dining facility, fondly referred to as the D-Fac, when one of the Staff Sergeants rushed into the room.

"Common room _now_, Privates. Move!" and he was out the door. Lunch abandoned, we rushed to the common room and took in the grisly sight on the television screen. CNN was reporting an attack on our country, showing jets flying into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and a field in Pennsylvania with a burning crater in the ground that was once an airplane.

My stomach dropped to somewhere around my knees. I couldn't count the number of times Bobby had talked about his Uncle Tommy working at the World Trade Center and the spectacular view he had from his office on the 85th floor. I knew he and his uncle had an amazing relationship, and that it would destroy Bobby if he were killed. I found myself praying that his uncle was alive and well.

Tim Woodrow was standing next to me and I heard him mutter, "Jesus Christ in Heaven," before he sank to the floor, eyes glued to the screen. "My older brother works at the Pentagon."

"Where in the Pentagon?" I asked. The impact had damaged a relatively small part of the building, so I hoped that his brother was safe.

"The outermost ring," he whispered. Gripping his shoulder in silent support, I turned my attention back to the TV. As we watched, I was mentally reviewing the letters I had received from my family. None of them mentioned trips into Manhattan, though I knew Mari was in Newark recently. I just hoped they were all safe.

We continued to watch, the whole platoon sitting in silence, until we were forced to carry on with our day. The base was put on lockdown: no one in or out and all leaves cancelled until further notice. I became even more grateful for my last weekend with Bridget—I had a bad feeling that it would be a long time before we had quality time together again.

**Stephanie's POV**

How could this day have gotten so messed up? I still remembered thinking how beautiful it was outside when Carlos and I were running that morning. Finishing my accounting quiz, I had thought, "Wow. This is going to be a great day!" That idea had been smashed to smithereens in two seconds flat by the screaming in the hallway.

Now as I sat there with Carlos' arms wrapped around me, helping me hold it together, I couldn't help but think what a horrific day it had turned out to be. Donna had closed the office, so at least I didn't have to try and think about work. The truth is, up until the time she called me, it hadn't even crossed my mind.

I had talked to my mom a couple of times since Val's call that morning, and she still hadn't heard anything from Daddy. She didn't know which tower his meeting was in, only that it was scheduled to start at eight and he expected it to last for an hour. Apparently, he was supposed to meet Jack—a name I had heard mentioned only once before—at seven for breakfast, but Mom said Daddy got a late start and wasn't sure if they ended up going to breakfast or not. She didn't know _anything_! And she was a mess!

Carlos sensed that I was on the edge, and every time I felt myself slipping over, he squeezed me and whispered, "It will be alright. He'll be alright!" in my ear. But he _couldn't_ know that, because we didn't know _anything_!

Alex arrived around one, and when he realized the plane that went down in Pennsylvania was United flight 93, he crumbled. Abuela Rosa went to him immediately, wrapping him in her arms as he cried. I heard him mumble something about good news, but couldn't for the life of me figure out what could possibly be good news on a day like today.

The day stretched into evening, none of us able to move from the television for more than a few minutes at a time. Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa were fantastic, and to be honest, if we hadn't been at Abuela's house, I don't think any of us would have had anything to eat or drink all day.

Bobby had been pacing the floor and checking his cell phone every two minutes. We were all willing our phones to ring, but only if they brought good news. God knows we could all have used some good news right about then!

Finally Alex's phone rang, and we all looked at him expectantly. It took him a moment to muster the courage to answer, unable to fathom who could be calling him from a New Jersey number that he didn't recognize. He answered with a gruff, tear-filled "Hello". Moments later his face went pale and I thought he was going to pass out. Carlos rushed to him to keep him from falling, and after what seemed like forever we heard Alex whisper, "Mari?"

**Alex's POV**

I couldn't believe it. It couldn't be her! I had spent the last however many hours sinking back into that dark place where I had lived for so many years after I lost my parents. My wife was dead. My unborn baby, whom no one even knew about yet, was gone. I would never know love again. I couldn't let anyone comfort me. I didn't want their comfort…their pity. I just wanted my wife and my baby.

So when my phone rang, I couldn't imagine who it could be. Everyone who knew that Mari was on one of the crashed planes was there in the room with me. I couldn't deal with talking to anyone else. The fact that everyone here was hovering was hard enough. I couldn't tell Hank and Juanita that their only child was gone. That the grandchild they never knew…

I took the call only out of curiosity. The fact that a New Jersey number was calling my cell…maybe I still had a slight flicker of hope left in me. When I heard that beautiful voice saying, "Alex, it's Mari," and then sobbing, "I missed my plane," I nearly passed out. I knew I wasn't breathing. I couldn't. My chest was too tight, as if someone were sitting on it. I don't even know how I choked out, "Mari?"

"Yes, baby," she whispered through her tears. I lost it and dropped to the ground, crying so hard that her angelic voice barely registered as she said, "It's ok, Alex. I'm ok. We're ok." I have no idea how long I sat there and sobbed, listening to her comforting me. All I kept thinking was "Thank you, God. Thank you, God for sparing my wife and child."

Finally I managed to ask, "How are you alive? What happened?" I listened as Mari explained how she lost her wallet and missed her plane. When I asked why she didn't call me sooner, she explained that she didn't know about the attacks until around noon, because she had been waiting alone in a tiny office with no windows. When the gravity of what had happened finally hit her, she got caught up in the day's drama and didn't think to call. Then she explained about hearing the flight number that crashed in Pennsylvania, and her minor breakdown because they wouldn't let her use the phone to call me.

"I tried your cell phone all day hoping to reach you. Why weren't you answering it?"

"I dropped the damn thing and broke it," she explained in an exasperated tone. I couldn't help but laugh a little at her aggravation. Now that I knew she was ok, I felt lighter than air and I wanted nothing more than to hold her.

"Stay at the Newark police station. I'm going to call Tio Ricardo and have him come get you. The airlines are all grounded, so I'll get in my car in twenty minutes and be there as soon as I can."

"No. You sleep. It's been an emotional day and you need to rest."

"I need you more than I need sleep, baby. Please, I just need to be with you." I whispered brokenly to her.

"And I need to be with you too, Alex. I love you more than anything in the world, but this baby needs its Daddy, so please, sleep. I don't want you driving exhausted. You can leave first thing in the morning. I'll be just fine with your aunt and uncle until you can get here, ok?"

Reluctantly, I agreed. "Ok, baby. I'm calling Tio as soon as we're off the phone. I imagine traffic is insane, so it will probably take him quite a while to get there. Don't leave, ok? You'll stay put?"

"I'll be in the waiting room. I'll call you when I get to your uncle's house, ok?"

"Ok. I love you, Mari. Both of you! Be safe."

"We love you too!"

After I disconnected, I dissolved into tears of relief. Mari was ok. Our baby was ok. Subconsciously, I knew that Bobby and Stephanie were still waiting for news on their loved ones, but I couldn't help but feel incredibly fortunate that my wife and baby had escaped such a horrible fate.

Gradually I realized Carlos was talking on the phone, to who I assumed was Tio Ricardo. "Yes, she somehow missed her plane in Newark and is at the police station there. Alex needs you to go get her so she can stay at your house until he can get up there." Gathering my wits about me, I reached my hand out for the phone. "Hang on, Papa. Alex wants to talk to you."

"Tio Ricardo? Mari is at the Newark police station. She lost her wallet in a cab and missed her plane, ¡Gracias a Dios! Can you please go and pick her up? I'm leaving first thing in the morning to drive up and will be there as soon as I can."

"You just be safe, Alex, and don't try to make the trip in one day. Mari will be fine with us, we'll take good care of her."

"Gracias, Tio. I'll see you soon."

When I hung up the phone, all eyes were on me. I was so grateful for my good fortune that I couldn't help but cry again as I said, "She's ok". I have never felt so vulnerable and emotional before…well, at least not in a really long time.

Stephanie was the first to come over and wrap me in her warm embrace. I'm so very happy that Mari is ok, Alex," she whispered. "But don't think for one second you're going to get away with not explaining what you meant by 'both of you'".

I pulled back and stared into her bright blue eyes filled with unshed tears. This beautiful girl, who had stolen my cousin's heart, was pushing aside her own pain at not knowing what was going on with her dad to comfort me. I know Mari wanted to tell everyone together, but I decided she would forgive me if I told Stephanie. I leaned in and whispered, "Can you keep a secret?" She nodded her head and I whispered, even quieter than before, "We're having a baby."

Steph's face lit up into a huge smile as she pulled me into an even tighter embrace. We were met by questioning glances as we separated, but I didn't offer any details other than how Mari missed her flight. The entire room was thrilled at our good fortune, though the mood was still somewhat somber, as we still didn't know the status of Bobby's Uncle Thomas or Steph's dad. I had the feeling it was going to be a long few days.

**Frank's POV**

Gradually I became aware of my surroundings. The air was thick with smoke and dirt, and my head was killing me. I reached my hand up and felt a wetness that was undoubtedly blood. Standing there before me was an ethereal sight: my wife! "Helen?" I croaked, not sure how she got there or why she looked like a dirty ghost. She was covered head to toe in a grayish-white powder.

I felt my eyes focus and realized that the woman was not, after all, my Helen. She was younger, and dressed in what I'm sure at one point was a very nice skirt suit, but now looked like someone had dunked her in a bag of gray flour. As I surveyed the scene, I was transported back in time to 'Nam. The horrors I had seen there were repeated now all around me: bodies, bloodied and covered in gray grime; the air heavy with dust and smoke; and the stench of burning flesh, something I hadn't smelled in three decades and had hoped never to smell again. And everything was quiet. I looked around confused. Why was there no sound? Everywhere was rubble, dirt, debris, bodies, fire and emergency workers. There was no way it was silent out here.

Wincing, I rolled over onto my side and tried to stand. The young woman took my arm and helped me up, and I felt myself sway. I realized her mouth was moving—she was saying something. Why couldn't I hear her? I tried in vain to read her lips. "I can't hear you!" I shouted. She nodded, so clearly she could hear me. I gripped her hand tightly, and she took my arm and placed it over her shoulder for support. I stared without recognition at my own limb, which looked like something from a zombie movie, covered in gray powder. I shook my head in an attempt to remove some of the ash covering me and I was instantly spinning. Note to self: don't shake head!

Just then, I realized that the body next to us was Jack. He was lying on the ground, his eyes closed. At first I thought he was dead, and it took all my strength not to collapse and weep for my friend. But then…he blinked. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he gave me a ghastly half-grin. He had a gash on his head just above the temple that left blood trailing down his dirt-covered face.

As I grabbed his hand to help him up, he pointed to another lump and pulled me toward it. I realized it was the woman he had been helping. She was already stirring, and in a minute the four of us—two aging army buddies and two women to whom we had never even been introduced—staggered away from the remains of the South Tower. The young woman who had helped me seemed to have a direction in mind, and we certainly weren't in any position to argue with her.

After a block or so, we had to stop in the doorway of a building to catch our breath. We were all choking from the dust and dark, acrid smoke in the air, and coming down a bit off the adrenaline high that had gotten us moving. I realized that I was still holding the First Aid kit and handed it to my rescuer. When I pointed to my head, she nodded and started to clean up my wound, while I rested against the wall. Then she went to work bandaging Jack's head and wrapping the knees of the lady he had helped. When she finished, she handed the kit back to me and rummaged in her bag, producing a pen and paper. She wrote, "I'm Jessica. Must get off island."

I asked, "How?"

She scribbled, "Tunnels/bridges/subways closed, find boat". Then she pointed in the direction we had been heading, which I later realized was west, toward the Hudson. Apparently Jack and the other woman could hear, because I could tell that Jessica was telling them more details. I hated that I couldn't hear what was going on.

Suddenly the ground shook again, for what seemed like an eternity. I was certain another plane had just crashed nearby, but then we saw fresh clouds of dust billowing down the street. We huddled in the corner of the entryway we were in until the worst of it had passed. I stared at Jack with a questioning look—what the hell was that?—and he wrote with his finger in the dust on the wall: TOWER 1. I closed my eyes and shuddered. What else could happen now?

I felt a tug on my sleeve and opened my eyes. Jessica was pointing and mouthing something, and Jack and the other woman were already heading out. She yelled to them, then turned and zipped my jacket and pulled it up until my mouth was covered. This wasn't exactly an N95 respirator, but it was a lot better than breathing the unfiltered air.

After what was probably a good half-hour—we kept having to stop to catch our breath and retch from the goop we were ingesting—we reached the Vesey Street ferry terminal. Or rather, we got _near_ the ferry terminal. Thousands of people were packed into the area, all trying to do the same thing we were: get on a boat and make it across the Hudson to New Jersey. Everyone was covered in the same dust, and many were limping and bleeding. I realized that we were far from the worst off in the crowd. I still had the First Aid kit, and over the next while, we used every bit of materiel in it helping as many people as possible.

At some point, EMTs arrived on the scene and helped those who were critical. They were happy to let us use some of their First Aid supplies to tend to those with minor conditions. We spent hours working on the people around us, and with each passing minute, the pounding in my temples grew worse. At some point I saw Jack watching me closely, and when I winced at the latest shot of pain through my head, he came to me and rested his hand on my forearm. With a look in his eyes I knew: It was time to get the hell outta Dodge!

With apologies to the EMTs, who were so busy they barely looked up, we joined the queue trying to get to the river. It took at least another hour before we could even see the water, but when we did, what a sight! It looked like every boat in the tri-state area was either heading to or from New Jersey. Big boats, little boats, ferries, tugboats, party boats, excursion boats, fireboats, buoy tenders, patrol boats, yachts—you name it. Many of them were sporting hand-lettered signs with the names of Jersey ports: "Hoboken", "Jersey City", "Weehauken", and so forth.

It was an amazingly orderly evacuation. The crowd was strangely calm and silent. Many people had the thousand-yard stare I remembered from combat. Despite there being nobody in charge, everyone worked together, doing whatever was necessary to get things done. There was no pushing or shoving. I saw a woman in a wheelchair lifted by dozens of hands over the fence at the water's edge onto one of the boats, and an elderly blind man with a service dog led through an opening that parted in the crowd like the Red Sea. If the purpose of terrorism is to terrorize, the terrorists failed in New York Harbor that day. When the chips were down, people came together and did right by their fellow men. The boatlift took hours, but no one was left behind.

As we waited, Jessica filled me in by writing notes on her pad. I learned that she lived in Newark with her husband, who was a police officer. She had driven into Jersey City that morning as usual and taken the ferry into the city, then walked the half-mile to the World Trade Center, where she worked in the North Tower. Her husband had told her that if anything bad ever happened, she was to get out of Manhattan as fast as possible, since one of the first things that would likely happen was closing the bridges and tunnels. And of course the PATH trains ran under the Twin Towers, so even if all the subways hadn't been shut down as a precautionary measure, she knew they weren't going to be running.

Fortunately she worked on a lower floor and was able to get out of the building, but hadn't gotten far when the South Tower crumbled. She was just getting ready to head toward the ferry when she spotted me on the ground, bleeding from my head, and decided to stop. Thanks to her, we were able to help many more people. I was sure her husband must have been frantic: she had a cell phone, but calls weren't going through, so she had been unable to reach him. I also asked her to try and reach Helen by phone, but the same problem occurred, so I was sure Helen must be frantic also.

Once we finally made it onto a boat headed toward Jersey City, it was a quick ride across the Hudson. Jack and the lady he rescued parted ways with us there, as Jack was also parked nearby and said he would make sure she got home. Jessica had offered to take me with her to the Newark police station, and I gratefully accepted—that was a lot closer to home than Jersey City!

In optimal conditions (maybe three a.m. on a Sunday), the six-mile drive would take around twenty minutes. But with everyone trying to head west at the same time, we were in gridlock for hours, exacerbated when a minor fender-bender blocked our lane.

The entire ride, I was hacking up bits of dirt from my lungs, causing my head to pound even worse, and I was seeing spots behind my eyes each time. I was afraid I was going to pass out with each coughing fit, but managed to stay conscious. I hadn't realized just how long it had been until, as we were passing Newark Airport, I saw that the sun was almost down. It was well past dark when we finally arrived at the police station. Jessica and I trooped tiredly inside.

Jessica looked around and then took off running toward one of the police officers. He had been standing in the waiting room speaking with a blonde woman, but when he caught sight of Jessica he turned and scooped her into his arms, crushing her to his chest. I smiled at the reunion and then took a seat, suddenly realizing just how exhausted I was. For the first time in hours, I relaxed and shut my eyes.

When I opened them, I saw a familiar face speaking with the same blonde that Jessica's husband had been talking to. I squinted and blinked a few times to see if I was really recognizing him, and then smiled in relief as I realized it was Carlos' father, Ricardo. He lifted his head and his eyes met mine, and I saw shock cross his face. He leapt up and came over to me, with the young woman following behind him.

"Frank?" I could read my own name on his lips. He said something else, but I had no idea what it was. I gave him a grim smile and pointed to my ears, shaking my head in an attempt to let him know I was deaf. Comprehension spread across his face and he gave a nod before turning to the people behind him.

Jessica said something to her husband, and he grabbed a notepad from the counter before they came over to me. She was writing as she walked, and as she sat down next to me, she pointed to the police officer and then to the first line she had written: "My husband Stu."

She then pointed to Ricardo and to the second line: "You know him?"

I answered, "He's a friend of the family. His son is dating my youngest daughter."

She smiled and wrote, "Can he help you? Stu's on duty, I'd like to stay with him."

She handed the paper to Ricardo. He nodded and said something to her before writing, "I'll get you to a doctor, then call your family and tell them you're ok."

I mouthed "Thank you!" and got up to leave. I guess I stood too fast, because the next thing I remember I was being wheeled into a hospital on a gurney. Damn, I hate hospitals.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: **

"**The Great Boat Lift of 9/11 became the largest sea evacuation in history, larger than the evacuation of Dunkirk in WWII, where 339,000 British and French soldiers were rescued over the course of nine days. On 9/11, nearly 500,000 civilians were rescued from the island of Manhattan by boat—it took less than nine hours."**

** – From the documentary _Boatlift: An Untold Tale of 9/11 Resilience_**

**I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: This chapter deals with a _very_ sensitive topic, one that I haven't ever seen mentioned in fan fiction. I apologize in advance if I am incorrect with any details; I'm doing my best to make sure my facts are correct—with Anita's help. Most of my details are pulled from Wikipedia and various other sites reporting the events of that fateful day. Tissues may be needed. **

**I cannot believe I have more than 600 reviews. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! Real life was rough on me this week and I wasn't able to thank everyone individually for your reviews, so I apologize if I didn't get to you. Thanks so very much for your support!  
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**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

_Previously:_

_She handed the paper to Ricardo. He nodded and said something to her before writing, "I'll get you to a doctor, then call your family & tell them you're ok."_

_I mouthed "Thank you!" and got up to leave. I guess I stood too fast, because the next thing I remember I was being wheeled into a hospital on a gurney. Damn, I hate hospitals._

**Stephanie's POV**

We stayed at Abuela's for most of the evening, taking comfort from our friends and family. Bobby kept his cell phone firmly in his hand and his eyes glued to the television screen.

CNN was becoming harder and harder to watch. They kept showing the same footage over and over, including people leaping from the upper floors of the towers, drawing gasps of shock even from Grandpa Mazur, who had remained stoic throughout the day. It was one of those unimaginable choices: jump to your death, or wait to die? I can't imagine ever being in a situation like that. And then the Catholic guilt on top of it…is it still suicide if you were minutes from death anyway? I finally had to get up and leave the room. What if my dad was one of the ones who had jumped? What if he was stuck on an upper floor—did he suffer when the towers collapsed or was his death instantaneous? Oh God…his death?

Grandma Mazur had come up to me on several occasions to make sure I was ok. She was worried about Daddy, and also about Mom, who was twelve hundred miles away and all alone. Ok, not _all_ alone, she had Val and the baby, but I knew she had to be frantic about Daddy. As cold as she could be sometimes, there had never been a doubt in my mind that she loved Daddy, even if she didn't show it in a PDA sort of way.

Grandpa Mazur was also really worried; I could see it in his eyes. He tried to keep up a strong front, constantly saying "Frank's tough, he'll be ok". But the fact that Grandpa was growing paler by the minute had me worried about how well he was really handling the possible fate of his son-in-law, and what a negative outcome would do to his daughter.

When Alex's cell phone rang again, I was pulled from my doom and gloom thoughts and couldn't help but smile. Mari was fine and they were going to have a baby. My, what a difference nine months had made. When I met him, he was a closed-up, angry man. Since then, he had become a loving husband, an open and caring brother, and a great friend. I couldn't be happier for him…for them. I hadn't noticed the confused look on Alex's face when he looked at the screen on his phone. In fact, I barely processed what he was saying to the caller.

He came over to the dining room table where I had retreated, squatted down in front of me, and held out his cell. I smiled at him, thinking at first that it was Mari and that he had told her I knew about the baby. But then I noticed the grim set to his face, which caused me to flinch and wonder exactly why I needed to take the phone. A quick glance at the screen showed only a number for the caller, with no name.

"Hello?"

"Mija, it's Ricardo."

My eyes darted to Carlos and then to Alex before I responded. "Hi, Ricardo. Is everything alright?"

He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Everything is _going to be_ alright."

"What do you mean 'going to be'? What's wrong?" I heard the squeak in my voice. Why was he talking to _me_ if something was wrong? I glanced around and noticed that Grandma and Grandpa were completely still and barely breathing.

"Stephanie, when I went into the Newark police station to get Mari, I found your father."

A sob escaped my throat. If he found Daddy in Newark, then that meant he was ok, right? "He got to Newark from Manhattan with one of the police officers' wives. Apparently he had been in the South Tower and made it out only a few moments before it collapsed."

"Dear God!" I could barely breathe, and felt, as well as heard, the shakiness in my voice.

"He was alert and seemed ok, but had a pretty nasty gash on the back of his head and…" his silence was deafening.

"And what, Ricardo?"

"He can't hear anything, Mija."

I sat frozen. Can't hear anything?

"When he stood up he collapsed. We got him to St. Michael's, which was the closest hospital, and he's regained consciousness. The doctors are checking him out right now, and I'm sure he'll be fine, but I wanted to call you with what we know so far."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Stephanie, I haven't called your mother yet. I know she'll want to know and, of course, be here with him. I wasn't sure how well she would take the news coming from me, or if you would want to be the one to call her. Or…I could drive to Trenton and tell her, but that would delay her getting here by more than two hours."

"No no, I'll call my mom. But is there any way you could stay with Daddy until she gets there?" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grandpa Mazur sit down. The fact that Ricardo was going to be waiting with Daddy meant he was alive. I could feel the relief in the room.

"Of course, Mija. Mari and I will wait here with him."

"Oh. I forgot Mari was with you. Should you just get her home so she can rest?"

"She claims she's fine and that she spent the entire day at the police station. Should I be worried about something, Mija?"

"Ummm…no. I just know she's been traveling a lot and it was an emotional day for everyone. I thought she might want to rest." I grimaced. I'm such a terrible liar!

"I'll keep an eye on her, but I think we'll be fine to wait for your mother."

"Thank you! I really appreciate it, Ricardo."

"That's what family is for, Mija."

I smiled as we said goodbye and disconnected. I heaved a deep sigh; I didn't want to be the one to tell my mother about Daddy. Carlos wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "Is everything ok?"

Nodding, I said, "It's going to be. Your dad found mine at the Newark police station. He has a nasty gash on his head and he passed out, but they took him to the hospital." Taking a deep breath, I had to swallow a few times in an attempt to clear the lump in my throat before saying, "He can't hear anything, though."

"It could just be a temporary side effect from a concussion," Bobby said. That was the first thing he had said in hours.

"Thanks, Bobby. I hope you're right." I sighed and turned back to Carlos. "I need to call my mom. She's gonna freak out."

"She'll be happy he's alive, Steph." I nodded. I knew he was right, but I still dreaded having to tell my mom that Daddy was in the hospital.

"Do you want me to call Helen?" Grandma Mazur asked me.

"No, it's alright, I'll do it. But Grandpa, you look like you aren't feeling well. Do you need something?"

"Something to drink would be good," he said weakly.

Grandma Mazur and Abuela rushed to the kitchen to get him something as I picked up the phone and dialed my parents' house. It rang for a really long time before someone picked up.

"Plum residence," a male voice said. It took me a second to realize it was Joe.

"Joe, it's Stephanie."

"Hey Steph. We haven't heard anything yet."

"Where's my mom?"

"She's lying down on the couch. She had a minor panic attack when a police car stopped in front of the house earlier. She practically passed out before she realized it was just Eddie stopping by to drop off something from Shirley. We tried to get her to go upstairs and get some rest, but she refuses."

"Is she alright?"

"She's a mess, Steph. And Val's a mess too. She's been crying all day, and the baby's been fussy. I just got Angie down upstairs and Val is in the living room keeping an eye on your mom."

"Can you have Val and Mom come to the phone and put it on speaker?"

"What's up, Steph? Everything ok?"

"Yes. I have news about Daddy."

I heard Joe yell for my mom and Valerie, and moments later my mom was asking, "You've heard something? How could you know more than me when you're over a thousand miles away?"

"Do you remember Carlos' cousin's wife, Mari? Well, she was in Newark today. She missed her plane, the one that went down in Pennsylvania, because she lost her wallet and couldn't get on the plane without ID."

"Sweet Jesus!" I heard through the phone. I could visualize my mother crossing herself at Val's outburst.

"Anyway, she went to the Newark police station to try and get some temporary ID, and then everything happened. To make a long story short, Carlos' dad went to go pick her up and when he got there, he found Daddy."

"Oh my God!" my mother shouted. "Is he ok?"

"Well, yes and no. He barely escaped the South Tower collapsing and he has a nasty gash on his head as a result. But they took him to a hospital and the doctors are checking on him now."

"Oh, thank you Lord. I need to go to the hospital right now."

"There's one more thing, Mom," I interrupted before she could disconnect.

"What? What is it?"

"Ricardo said Daddy couldn't hear anything. I'm hoping it's just a side effect from the head trauma, but I wanted you to be prepared."

"He's alive. That's all I care about. Now I need to go!"

"Mrs. Plum, you shouldn't drive. You haven't eaten anything all day and you're exhausted."

"I'm going, Joseph!" I agreed with Joe, but I wasn't about to argue with my mother at this point. I knew better.

"And I won't stop you, but at least let me drive you. Val, if you want to come too, I can call my mother to come sit with Angie."

"I have some stored milk in the fridge, I'll just change out of my pajamas and I'll be ready."

"Steph, I'm going to hang up now so I can call my mom. We'll call you later, ok?"

"Thanks, Joe. Do you know where St. Michaels is in Newark?"

"Sure, it's real close to the Newark police station. I'll get them there, don't worry."

"Great. And Mom?"

"Yes, baby."

"Give Daddy a big hug from me, ok? And tell him I love him." The tears were falling down my face unchecked. I was so relieved that he was alive, but wanted more than anything to be there with him.

As I hung up the phone, Carlos held me and I cried into his shoulder. I don't know how long I sat there, but when I composed myself and looked up into his face, I couldn't help but smile. My dad was going to be ok. Carlos gave me a gentle, loving kiss and I relaxed back into him.

Glancing around the room, I noticed that Bobby was missing. I sat up and looked into Carlos' eyes. "Where's Bobby?"

With a sad smile, he said, "He left, Babe. I know he's happy that your dad is ok, but he still hasn't heard anything about his uncle."

How selfish of me! He must be so angry that I was just rubbing my good news in his face while he was still suffering, not knowing anything.

As if he was reading my thoughts, Carlos cupped my cheek in his hand and shook his head as he said, "Babe. No one blames you for being happy that your father is alive, not even Bobby. He just needed a little time alone, ok?"

I nodded my head, unable to speak around the lump in my throat. God, please let Bobby's uncle be alive!

**Bobby's POV**

I felt so lost! A world without my Uncle Thomas …well, I was trying not to think about it. As I drove back to the apartment from Les's Abuela's house, I felt the anger building inside me. I wanted to find the motherfuckers responsible and strangle them with my bare hands.

My Uncle Tommy had played such a vital role in helping me become the man I am today. He took me to my first Knicks game when I was six. I remember him carrying me on his shoulders down to the court after the game to meet a couple of the players. I can still see the smile on my face when he introduced me to Patrick Ewing! How Uncle Tommy knew him, I have no idea, but when Ewing handed me a ball and taught me to dunk, I thought nothing could beat that moment. That day launched my love for basketball.

Growing up, I spent every summer with Uncle Tommy and Aunt Chelsea. They couldn't have children so they treated me like I was their own child. And I loved it! When Dad was being too hard on me, or Mom was being overbearing, I went to them for a little bit of sanity. I guess the best part about being the aunt and uncle instead of the parent was that they could be "cool".

Shortly before my high school graduation, Aunt Chelsea had a major health scare. She found out she had breast cancer, but thankfully it was caught early and she's been in remission for about a year. But Mom wanted to be closer to her only sister, so she and Dad relocated from Miami to New York. I wanted to go with them, but Uncle Tommy and Aunt Chelsea convinced me not to give up my full basketball scholarship to the University of Miami, so I stayed.

Mom and Dad kept their house here so they could come and visit, especially during basketball season. Aunt Chelsea and Uncle Tommy came to as many games as possible too. We spent holidays, when basketball wasn't in season, in New York; in fact, I had just spent Labor Day weekend there with them, since Coach gave us the weekend off.

And now, to think that might have been my last visit with Uncle Tommy? It was too much to bear. There were so many things I didn't get to tell him. I didn't get to thank him for the impact he had on my life, for being one of my biggest supporters and helping me realize that I wanted to become a doctor. Uncle Tommy worked as an attorney on the 85th floor of the South Tower, representing women and children who were victims of domestic violence. He had chosen this specialty because of his traumatic childhood. His parents divorced when he was little because his father was physically abusive, but the court awarded joint custody anyway. The beatings continued until he was old enough to be able to avoid his father's brutality. He said he never wanted _anyone_ to go through what he did, and dedicated his career to that cause.

"Woah, shit!" I shouted as I swerved out of the way of oncoming traffic. I quickly pulled to the side of the road, trying to calm my breathing. The tears I'd been holding at bay all day finally started to fall. I cried, harder than I've ever cried in my life, for several long minutes. I couldn't seem to catch my breath as the scenes from the television flew through my mind. He got out. He had to have gotten out. Maybe he didn't go back inside? Please God…

**Stephanie's POV**

When Carlos and I walked back into our apartment the living room was dark, but could see that there was somebody on the couch. I glanced over my shoulder and looked at Carlos, who nodded slightly and then headed down the hall to our bedroom. Moving towards the couch, I whispered, "Bobby?"

I heard a sniffle and a sigh before he glanced up. Carlos had turned on the light in the hall and it was filtering through to the living room, allowing me to make out the tear streaks on Bobby's cheeks.

"Any word?"

Shaking his head, he said, "God, I can't lose him Steph. He's like a second dad to me." Nodding, I sat down and gently wrapped my arms around him. He laid his head on my shoulder and cried. I couldn't help but join him. I cried for him, for his family, and for all the families that were having to spend the night not knowing if their loved ones were alive or not. Silently, I thanked God that my dad had survived and that Mari was safe. And then I pleaded for the safety of Bobby's uncle, squeezing him tighter as I implored God to spare him. We sat there for a long time, crying on each other's shoulders, before he pulled back with a whispered, "Thank you".

"Have you called your aunt again?"

"Yeah, I called her when I got here. Momma and Dad are with her, but she hasn't heard anything. The last she knew he called her from outside the South Tower, but told her they said it was safe to go back inside. He had been working on a big case, and he was going to head back up to his office. The plane hit his tower about ten minutes later."

"There's always a chance he stopped in the lobby to talk to someone before going up, so that when the tower was hit he could have gotten out," I offered.

"God, I hope so. So have you heard from your Mom yet? Has the doctor said anything about your Dad's hearing?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "No. I don't expect to hear from her before morning. By the time she arrives at the hospital and sees my Dad, it will be late. Plus, she won't want to leave his side, and with the trouble they're having with cell service, she would have to find a pay phone to call me like Ricardo did. Val might call though."

"Let me know how he's doing, ok? I'm genuinely happy for you that he's ok."

"Thanks, Bobby." I gave him a quick peck on the cheek before standing to go find Carlos. I found him lying on our bed.

Tilting his head toward the living room, he asked, "He ok?"

"I think so. He's upset, rightfully so. He hasn't heard anything so there's still hope."

Nodding, Carlos said, "I've met his Uncle Tommy and Aunt Chelsea a couple of times. They're good people. I really hope he made it out and just hasn't been able to reach his wife yet."

"Me too," I said, climbing in next to him. Carlos wrapped me tightly in his arms, allowing me to soak up his strength.

"I'm glad your dad is ok, Babe." I nodded, unable to speak because of the lump in my throat. Hot tears burned my eyes, and I wasn't able to stop them from falling down my cheeks.

"Carlos…please… help me forget this horrible day, even for just a little while," I begged, punctuating my request with a desperate kiss on his warm lips.

I felt him respond momentarily before he pulled back and asked tenderly, "Are you sure, Babe?"

"Please, Carlos." With further words unnecessary, Carlos brought his lips back to mine. Ever so slowly, he removed my clothes and then his own. We kissed languidly for several long minutes, Carlos gently stroking my breasts and then my thighs before he allowed his fingers to dip into my wet folds. His lips caught my gasp of pleasure as his fingers began thrusting in and out of me, while his thumb kept firm pressure on my clit. In mere moments I was bucking against his hand.

As I caught my breath, he whispered, "I love you, Stephanie. More than I thought possible. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you." I stopped his words with a forceful kiss of my own, which he deepened before turning me onto my back and positioning his length at my center, slowly guiding himself inside. I was still tight, and he hissed as he sheathed himself fully, pulling a moan of pleasure from me. Cupping his face in my hands, I pulled him back to me for a passionate kiss, which I hoped conveyed everything I was feeling. We moved slowly together for what felt like hours before we both climaxed. Carlos fell onto me and then quickly rolled, pulling me with him. Still joined physically, we lay there for several long minutes, knowing that our brief respite from reality would soon be over.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Author's Note: This chapter deals with a _very_ sensitive topic, one that I haven't ever seen mentioned in fan fiction. I apologize in advance if I am incorrect with any details; I'm doing my best to make sure my facts are correct—with Anita's help. Most of my details are pulled from Wikipedia and various other sites reporting the events of that fateful day. Tissues may be needed. **

**I cannot believe I have more than 650 reviews. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! If I didn't get to personally thank you for your review this week, please forgive me. Real life has made it a little crazy around here!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

_Previously:_

_As I caught my breath, he whispered, "I love you, Stephanie. More than I thought possible. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you." I stopped his words with a forceful kiss of my own, which he deepened before turning me onto my back and positioning his length at my center, slowly guiding himself inside. I was still tight, and he hissed as he sheathed himself fully, pulling a moan of pleasure from me. Cupping his face in my hands, I pulled him back to me for a passionate kiss, which I hoped conveyed everything I was feeling. We moved slowly together for what felt like hours before we both climaxed. Carlos fell onto me and then quickly rolled, pulling me with him. Still joined physically, we lay there for several long minutes, knowing that our brief respite from reality would soon be over._

**Ch. 37**

**Stephanie's POV**

Neither Carlos nor I slept that night. We spent the time in each other's arms, holding on for dear life and being thankful that we had each other. I went out to the kitchen once, for a drink of water, and noticed Bobby still sitting in the dark living room. It appeared he hadn't slept either.

We gave up trying to sleep around six, and ambled out to the kitchen to find something to eat. Bridget was standing over the stove cooking eggs, and toast had just popped up. "Morning, guys. Hungry?"

Is it awful that I hadn't noticed her coming in last night? I wasn't even sure if she left Abuela's house before or after us.

"I'm not very hungry," I answered. I was desperate for an update on Dad, and my patience was barely holding out. I couldn't imagine what Bobby was feeling this morning.

"You should eat, Steph," Bobby said as he munched on a piece of toast. I nodded reluctantly and joined him and Carlos at the table.

"Do you think they'll have classes today?" Bridget asked, as she sat the skillet of eggs on the hot pad on the table.

Passing plates around, Carlos said, "I would imagine so, though I wonder how many people will actually show."

"I'm not going," Bobby said, keeping his head down as he continued to eat his toast.

"I don't think they'll hold it against you, Bobby. Have you heard from anyone yet this morning?"

Bobby shook his head no but didn't say anything. The rest of the breakfast passed in uncomfortable silence. Since I hadn't eaten much, I decided it would be safe to go for a run. Ducking into the bedroom to change, I was so lost in thought I didn't realize Carlos had followed me. When he placed his hand on my shoulder I let out a shriek and jumped.

"Jesus! Make some noise, wouldja?"

"Sorry, Babe. Ok if I run with you?"

"Of course," I said, giving him a quick kiss before stepping into my running shorts. As we walked through the living room, I noticed Bobby had returned to his vigil in front of CNN, his phone clutched in his hand.

We ran a little farther and a little harder than usual. I guess we both had some nervous energy that we needed to burn off. Jogging back to the apartment, I found myself praying that I would hear from my mom soon.

**Helen's POV**

Frank's alive. Thank you God! I could barely breathe as Joseph drove us to St. Michael's Medical Center in Newark. Stephanie had said Frank couldn't hear, but that aside from a gash on his head, he was otherwise fine. HE WAS ALIVE! I didn't care if he never heard me nagging him again, and if he did regain his hearing, I promised myself I would bicker with him less.

Tapping my toe against the floorboard, I felt like I was developing a nervous tic with the number of times I glanced at the speedometer. Surely as a cop, Joseph could get away with driving a little faster? Didn't his car have a light and siren?

An hour and a half later, we _finally_ arrived at the hospital. I barely waited until Joseph stopped the car before I jumped out and rushed into the ER. Making my way to the counter, I felt a lump forming in my throat, and had to clear it three times before I was finally able to ask for Frank Plum's room. The woman clicked something on her computer and without emotion said "Room 203". She never even glanced at me. My my, such poor manners. If I wasn't in such a hurry to see my husband, I probably would have called her on them.

Bypassing the elevator, I rushed up the stairs to the second floor. When I barreled out of the staircase, I noticed Ricardo and Mari standing outside a room. Without even realizing I had moved, I was suddenly in front of them, asking "Is Frank ok? I thought you were with him. What's happened?"

"Calm down, Helen. Frank is fine. The doctor asked us to step out briefly while he examined him; he's only been in there a few minutes."

"Well, I'm not waiting," I said as I rushed into his room. Seeing Frank lying in the bed, somewhat ashen-looking from the debris of the city's devastation still caked in his hair, took my breath away.

Without saying a word, I walked directly to the bed and took his hand, kissing the back of it before I sat down and turned my attention to the doctor. He had stopped talking when I walked in, but didn't even hint that I should leave. Good thing!

"Mrs. Plum, I presume?" the doctor asked me. I nodded and he continued, "I'm Dr. Martin. I was just explaining your husband's condition to him."

I glanced at Frank and noticed him looking back and forth between the doctor and me. "And how were you explaining it to him? He can't hear, correct?"

"No ma'am, his hearing hasn't returned. My assistant has been writing some of the key points on this whiteboard," he said pointing to his assistant and the board in her hand. It had things like "post-concussion syndrome", "shell shock", "hearing may or may not return". It was basic, but it really didn't tell me much.

"Why don't you explain it to me, and I'll find a way to make sure Frank understands?" With a nod the doctor rattled off facts about post-concussion syndrome, commonly called "shell shock". I remembered Frank talking about an old Army buddy getting shell shock in 'Nam and not being able to hear for several months. He had mentioned it on one of our family vacations with Mother and Daddy—he said it would have come in handy at the time. I noticed a slight grin on Frank's face, and figured he was remembering the same thing.

The doctor went on to explain that the debris that hit Frank as the towers collapsed had caused a concussion. He classified it as "mid-level" or "moderate" and said that the hearing loss could be a result of that. He explained that Frank might have other symptoms as well, including headache, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Hmm, that reminded me of Frank after spending time with my parents. I knew how to deal with him after too much exposure to the in-laws. I wondered if the same treatment would help here, but doubted he'd been cleared for sex. Dr. Martin cleared his throat, and with a mumbled "Sorry" I refocused on him.

"We would like to keep your husband overnight for observation. Because of the concussion, we can't allow him to fall asleep for at least four more hours, and then after that, we need to wake him every two hours to make sure he's not getting worse. We'd like to run a few more tests tomorrow, and if everything checks out, we should be able to release him tomorrow evening. Any questions?"

"No. Thank you, Doctor." I turned my attention to my husband and the doctor took that as his clue to leave. As I stared at Frank, taking in every inch of his face, there was a light knock on the door and Ricardo and Mari came back into the room, followed by Joseph and Valerie.

"Everything ok, Helen?"

"Ricardo, thank you so much for bringing him here and taking care of him until I could get here. I don't know how I'll ever repay you."

"No price for family, dear. Your Stephanie is a part of our family, which makes you and Frank family as well."

"Thank you," I whispered around the newly formed lump in my throat.

"We do need to be going, however. Mari has had a long day and I'm sure Maria is anxious to see us. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do for you."

"I will, Ricardo, thank you." And then I did something I rarely did: I stood and gave him a firm hug. If he was surprised, he didn't show it—he just squeezed me tight before letting go, and after giving Frank a quick handshake, he and Mari left.

By then, Val had ventured around to the other side of Frank's bed, and leaned in to kiss his cheek before taking his hand in hers. "What did the doctor say, Mom?"

"He's going to be fine. His hearing may or may not come back, but we'll deal with that later."

Val didn't ask any more questions, she just sat and stared at Frank. Joe had moved behind her and kept his hands on her shoulders in support. I couldn't help but glance at them and think what a beautiful couple they made. I secretly hoped things would work out with them, but when Frank shifted in the bed, thoughts of more grandchildren were quickly forgotten…well, at least for the time being.

After visiting awhile, Valerie reluctantly said, "I'm sorry Mom, but I need to get back to the baby."

"Of course. Go. I'll call you when I need someone to come and get us. Will you stay with Val and the baby tonight, Joseph?"

"Yes ma'am. I'd be happy to."

With kisses and hugs goodbye, they left. When we were alone, I took the pad of paper from the end of the bed and wrote to Frank, "I almost lost you."

"But you didn't."

"I wouldn't survive without you."

"You would, but you don't have to think about it right now."

"Do you know how scared I was?"

"Probably as scared as I was that I wasn't going to ever see you or our girls again."

Tears were pouring down my cheeks as I wrote, "I love you, Frank."

"I love you more, sweetheart."

Unable to hold my head up any longer, I laid it on the bed and cried. I cried tears of joy that my husband had survived, and tears of sadness for those who still didn't know the fate of their loved ones. As I cried, Frank ran his hands through my hair, offering comfort through his touch and his whispered, "Shh…"

When the tears finally stopped, I stood and took his face in my hands and kissed him. I poured every ounce of love I had for this man into that kiss, hoping he had even a vague sense of the depths of that love. Frank seemed to understand—he smiled and said, "I know, Helen, I know."

I sat back down and picked up the pad again. "You have to stay overnight."

"I figured." Scooting over, he patted the bed beside him and said, "Climb in." I hesitated before he added, "I haven't spent a night without my wife in my bed yet, and I don't plan on starting now."

After I climbed in beside him, I wrote, "The last time we shared a hospital bed was when Stephanie was born."

"Yeah, and Nurse Hatchet tried to kick me out."

"And you gave her your blank face until she backed down," I wrote as I giggled.

Frank wrapped his arm tighter around me and I leaned into him, as I fought off the tears that threatened to resurface.

Slowly, haltingly, Frank told me what had happened to him that day, ending with Ricardo finding him at the Newark police station. Then he paused, seeming to reflect on the enormity of the day's events and how lucky he had been. "It was awful, Helen. So many people didn't get out. The stairs were still fairly full behind us."

"At least Jack made it!" I wrote.

"Yes. But Rick Rescorla didn't. He was a platoon leader from 'Nam and head of security for Morgan Stanley. He refused to leave the building until he got everyone out."

"Sounds like a hero," I wrote.

"In more ways than one."

After a few moments of silence, I wrote, "Are you ok?"

"It brought back memories of 'Nam, lots of them, but I'm ok. I have you and our girls and that beautiful grandbaby of ours. I'll be fine. I'm damned lucky."

"_I'm_ lucky," I wrote and leaned further into him. We held each other for hours as nurses popped in and out. Fortunately, no one tried to get me to move. It would have been pointless anyway, but at least it wasn't a battle that we had to fight. It was the middle of the night when Frank was finally given permission to sleep, and as his breath evened out and I could feel the slow rising and falling of his chest, I relaxed enough to join him.

XXXXXXXXX

It was mid-morning before I allowed myself to leave Frank's side for longer than a quick trip to the bathroom—and then only because they took him to run tests. I found a payphone in the hallway and dialed Stephanie first, as I knew she would be anxiously awaiting news.

"Hello?" a man answered.

"Hello, is Stephanie there?" I had dialed the apartment, and knew that she lived with a few boys—much to my dislike—but I was still slightly surprised at the male voice on the other end of the line.

I heard a heavy sigh before a slight rustling and then, "Mom?"

"Hello Stephanie, it's your mother."

"How's Daddy?"

"He's going to be fine. He has a concussion, and he hasn't regained his hearing yet, but the doctor said there was a good possibility it will return. They're running some tests now, and hopefully we'll get to go home tonight. That's really all I know at this point."

I heard her sigh. "I'm so glad you're with him. How are _you_ holding up?"

"I'm fine, dear. I'm just so relieved that he's alive!"

"Me too. Tell Daddy I love him, and call me if you find out anything new."

"I will. Bye, Stephanie."

"Bye, Mom. I love you."

I hung up. Why didn't I say "I love you" back to her? With a sigh, I headed back to Frank's room to think about that while I waited for him.

**Stephanie's POV**

_She hung up. I said, "I love you," and she hung up. Maria and Ricardo tell me they love me every time they talk to me, and they aren't even my actual parents. We almost lost Daddy, and my own mother didn't return the "I love you" before she hung up. What is wrong with me that she can't tell me she loves me?_

"Babe?"

"Hmm?"

"Everything ok?"

"Yes. He has a concussion and they're running tests, but Mom said the doctor was hopeful that his hearing would return."

"That's great, Babe. But why do you have that look on your face?"

"What look?"

"You look…broken?"

"I am broken, Carlos."

He wrapped me in his arms as he soothed me. "You aren't broken, Babe."

"But I am. You should run for the hills."

"Hey! I love you. Every piece of you. Whole, broken, it doesn't matter to me. I love you."

"I love you too, Carlos."

XXXXXXXXX

The evening of the twelfth, the University held a candlelight ceremony, organized by the fraternities and sororities. Bridget and I went to three different dollar stores and bought all their taper candles for everyone to hold.

The guys from Les's old frat, SAE, borrowed the huge American flag from the football field and draped it from the top of a building near the large grassy area where everyone would stand. Carlos had offered to help the guys set up, so we told him we'd meet him there. Large speakers were playing patriotic music softly when Bridget and I arrived. Bobby was there already, though he sat to the side, completely withdrawn.

Bobby still seemed to be in shock. One of his uncle's co-workers said he'd seen Tommy getting on the elevator about three minutes before the plane hit the South Tower. So either he was still in the elevator when it hit, and never escaped, or he made it to his office, just a few floors above impact. The reality was, he didn't make it out.

As awful as it was, I prayed he died quickly. I wouldn't want to picture someone I loved suffering, or being one of the ones desperate enough to end it by jumping. I knew the entire country was horrified by the attack and the loss of life, but knowing someone who had lost a loved one somehow made it so much more devastating.

The candlelight ceremony was beautiful. Carlos and I stood with Bobby between us, as the local Methodist minister prayed from the steps of the Agriculture building. We could hear people crying softly around us, and whispering "Amen" as the pastor asked for peace for the families who lost someone. Bobby, Carlos, and I were all crying, as was Bridget, who was standing nearby with her Kappa sisters. She had confided in me that she was scared for Les. What did this mean for him? Would we wind up going to war? And judging by Bobby's reaction, I was worried about what it might mean for him too.

_**Three weeks later…**_

The last two weeks had been nearly unbearable. Bobby drove to New York for his uncle's funeral: he definitely wasn't ready to get on an airplane. Like so many other families, they buried an empty casket because there was little chance his uncle's remains would ever be recovered. When he came back, he was different. Carlos and I asked him numerous times if he was ok, but the response was always the same: "Fine." I tried to ask how his Aunt Chelsea was handling things, but he shut me down and left the room every time.

The basketball season had started. We hoped it would help to distract him, get his mind off of his loss a little, but it didn't. And things weren't looking good for his basketball career. Basically…Bobby was angry. And he took it out on the other teams, fouling out in the first half of the first three games.

His coach talked to him about pulling back a little but he didn't listen, and after fouling out of another game, he was put on suspension. He didn't seem to care and spent a lot of time in his room, barely going to class. I was worried about him and so was Carlos, but we didn't know what we could do to help.

On Saturday, Carlos and I spent the day together. We drove to the beach and went for a long walk, grabbing lunch at a café near the boardwalk. There were quite a few people milling around, but it felt like it was just us. We talked about our families. Celia got engaged last week, to her Princeton boyfriend. She would be finishing her undergraduate degree soon and then going on to medical school.

Dad still hadn't regained his hearing, but otherwise, he was fine. Valerie and Joe had become much closer and were discussing dating. Val was getting some help from an attorney at her office, a man named Kloughn. He had served Steve with divorce papers and a notification that Val would be filing for termination of his parental rights. It had been over a week and Steve hadn't responded yet, but Val was hoping he wouldn't fight.

Carlos held me tight against him as we walked back to the car from lunch, whispering in my ear how much he loved me and how he would show me just how much when we got home. He drove quickly, with my hand slowly rubbing up and down his thigh. We rushed into the apartment and stopped cold when we saw Bobby standing in the hallway with his bags in his hands.

"Bobby?"

"Hey guys. I joined the Army."

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. I posted this early – instead of making you wait until Wednesday, as I am on vacation for the next two weeks, visiting my family in Kentucky. I will only be posting once a week until after July 4th.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**I still cannot believe the response this story has gotten. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

_Previously:_

_Carlos held me tight against him as we walked back to the car from lunch, whispering how much he loved me and how he wanted to show me when we got back home. He drove home quickly, with my hand slowly rubbing up and down his thigh. We rushed into the apartment and were stopped cold by Bobby standing in the hallway with his bags in his hands._

"_Bobby?"_

"_Hey guys. I joined the Army."_

**Ch. 38**

**Stephanie's POV**

"You joined the Army?"

"Yes. I have to do something, Steph. For my uncle. For your Dad, who still can't hear anything. For the three-year-old on United Flight 93 who probably watched in fear and awe as the passengers on the plane tried to take it over and prevented the loss of even more lives. For all the other people who waited and waited for good news about their family members that never came. I have to do something, and I can't do it sitting in Miami, or playing basketball. I just can't."

We all stood perfectly still for a few moments before I walked over to Bobby and pulled him into a hug. "I'm proud of you, Bobby." That was all I could say: nothing else would come out because the lump in my throat blocked all other sound. I tried so hard not to cry, but a few tears did escape as I squeezed him a little tighter. I whispered, "Promise me you'll be safe."

"I promise to try," Bobby whispered back.

"You're already packed? When do you leave?" Carlos asked, while Bobby and I were still embracing.

"My parents and Aunt Chelsea are flying down. They're landing in a few hours. Can you believe that Aunt Chelsea would get on a plane after all that's happened? Anyway, I'm going to stay with them at Mom and Dad's house here for a few days. Then we're going to drive to Fort Benning together, and they'll drive my car back to New York. It isn't going to do anyone any good sitting around here."

"Fort Benning? So will you see Les?"

"I don't think so, but it's possible. I guess I'll find out when I get there."

"Promise you'll keep in touch?" I asked.

"I promise. I've gotta go now. Oh, and I already turned my rent in to the landlord for the next few months, which should give you enough time to find another roommate."

"You didn't have to do that Bobby, but thanks. Take care, man," Carlos said. He gave Bobby one of those complicated handshakes that I can never get the hang of, and then helped take his bags out to the car. I leaned up and gave Bobby a kiss on the cheek before he walked out.

Once he and Carlos left the apartment, I went into my room and flopped down on the bed to wait for Carlos. When he returned, he had a solemn look on his face. "You ok, Babe?"

I nodded. "I'm fine, Carlos. Just scared for Bobby. And for Les. I have a feeling something really big is coming, and I'm just worried about their safety. I totally understand why they're doing what they're doing, and I'm proud of them for it, but it doesn't make me worry any less."

"I know, Babe," he said joining me on the bed. "C'mere." He pulled me into his arms and placed a kiss on my forehead. We lay there together for hours, until the beast in my stomach demanded to be fed.

After a quick dinner, we headed back to our room and held each other again. We made love slowly that night and fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. I felt safe, and loved, but also had a sick feeling deep in my stomach that this peace I felt wouldn't last much longer.

_**November 10, 2001**_

So much had happened since Bobby left for basic training. The day after he moved out of our apartment, President Bush declared war—The War on Terror, he called it. Our country was still on heightened alert, with increased security at the airports, so much so that anyone without a ticket to travel couldn't get past the security checkpoint. I didn't fully understand that, as the terrorists had tickets, but…I guess it helped them to monitor the safety of the airplanes. CNN showed some footage of the cleanup efforts at "Ground Zero" where the towers came down. I was amazed at the number of people involved. They also began showing footage of the new war. I couldn't bear to watch much of that, especially knowing Les and Bobby would be in the middle of it all too soon.

Les continued to write, telling us about his training and what he anticipated for his deployment. He was excited that he was going to get a week off between completion of AIT and being deployed, and he was going to come to Miami. He told me he couldn't wait to see us, especially Bridget. The way she floated around the apartment like she was on a cloud, I would say she couldn't wait to see him, either.

Carlos and I, along with the SAE guys and the Kappa girls, set up collection points on campus for items that we could take to New York during Christmas break to give to the National Guardsmen working in NYC. They were patrolling at Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal, as well as the Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK airports and the Staten Island Ferry. The Guardsmen would distribute the donations to the plethora of people who were working day and night to clean up the city. I was shocked by the variety: we had bottled water, Gatorade, protein bars, granola bars, drink mixes, coolers, thermoses, paper masks, rubber gloves, Band-Aids, and prepaid calling cards. I couldn't believe how willing people were to give; it solidified for me how great our country is when we're united. If nothing else good came from the tragic events of 9/11, our country coming together in solidarity was at least one positive thing.

**Carlos's POV**

After Bobby left, Stephanie kept saying she wanted to do something to help. While it was far too dangerous for us to physically work at Ground Zero, I agreed with her that there had to be _something_ we could do.

Well past midnight on a Saturday in mid-October, she saw a CNN program about the cleanup efforts in lower Manhattan. The person interviewed made a plea for donations of items that the crews needed, and that started Steph on her mission. A month later, we had so many donations that I wasn't sure how we would get it all to New York.

She was so amazing! She credited everyone except herself, but the reality is that _she_ was the one responsible for the ever-growing collection of items to take to New York City.

Les had been writing us. He was nervous about his upcoming deployment. I expected he would be, but his last letter confirmed it.

_Carlos,_

_So, I got my orders today. I graduate from AIT on November 11, and I leave for Afghanistan on November 18. I'll be in Miami that week, and Abuela mentioned doing Thanksgiving a little early so I can spend the holiday with the family._

_Would you think less of me if I told you I was a little scared? I'm proud to serve my country and knew this was a possibility when I signed up, I just didn't anticipate everything that's happened. I sure didn't expect to drop into a war zone so soon after my training. I wish I had you there to watch my back. Remember my senior year of high school? I don't know if I would have made it through without you. I just wanted to let you know I love ya, man. More than a cousin, more like a brother._

_Les_

I remembered how terrible Les's senior year was for him. He had gotten mixed up with a bad crowd earlier in high school, but after I moved down to Miami to get away from my own problems, he attempted to break away from them. He wasn't very successful: they were pretty persistent. I'll never forget the fight he got into just before Christmas that year. Two guys attacked him, and if I hadn't been there to pull them off and give Les a fighting chance, well…he wouldn't have been worried about going off to war, that's for sure.

My mind was swirling around joining him and Bobby, but I just didn't think I could do that to Stephanie. I knew she was worried about Les and Bobby; would my joining send her over the edge? Would it be the end of our relationship? And how would Mama and Abuela handle it? Was I a coward if I didn't join? I kept my thoughts to myself, but I spilled them to Lester in a letter. He hadn't written back, but I knew he'd be home in just a few days and would tell me what he thought. That's always been one of the best things about Les: he isn't shy about giving his opinion. The question was, "Could I live with myself if I _didn't_ go?" At that moment, I didn't know the answer.

**Lester's POV**

When I graduated from AIT, I couldn't believe that Bridget came to see it. I had told everyone that it wasn't necessary for them to be there. I would see them in Miami before my deployment; that was enough for me. It took several letters and a phone call to Abuela to convince them—and boy, did that phone call cost me—but I prevailed. So when I spotted Bridget, I couldn't believe it. And the little five-year-old boy that was jumping up and down inside of me couldn't believe it either. We both wanted to go kiss our girl. When she sashayed up to me after the ceremony, it took every ounce of willpower I possessed not to throw her down right there and reclaim her as mine in front of God and everyone else.

"Hey soldier!" she said, flashing that gorgeous smile of hers. "Thought you might need a ride to Miami."

"I could use a ride," I said, practicing my newly learned "blank face" on her. I couldn't help but notice the desire that flashed in her eyes.

"Well then, let's hit the road." She reached out her hand and began pulling me toward the parking lot.

"Hey, I need to grab my things."

"Make it quick, soldier. I'm not sure how much longer I can last."

I ran back to the bunkhouse and grabbed my bag, then hightailed it back to my girl. She drove about ten minutes down the road before pulling into the Marriot. We quickly exited the car, and I managed to grab my duffle from the back as I rushed to follow her. We barely made it into the room before she began stripping her clothes. I froze just inside the door, staring at the beautiful woman in front of me.

"Les, if you don't get naked…NOW…I'm going to take matters into my own hands." As she said that, she began trailing her hands down her body, and that was all it took to propel me into action. In no time flat, I was naked and we were on the bed. I tried not to move too quickly. It had been two months since we had been together, but it felt like much longer.

"We can do slow and tender next time, Les. I need you now!" Bridget said in a voice so filled with desire that I hardly recognized it. I granted her wish, and in minutes she was screaming in pleasure, with me following soon after. We lay there catching our breath for a long time, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms. Just when I thought that she had fallen asleep, I heard a sniffle.

"Hey. What's wrong baby? I didn't hurt you did I?"

"I love you, Lester."

"I love you too. But what's with the tears?"

"I'm so afraid for you. I've watched a little CNN, and it definitely isn't a walk in the park over there."

"I know. I don't expect it to be. But I've trained hard, and I'm prepared. I won't pretend that I'm not afraid, because I am. However, I have the best reason in the world to come home in one piece lying right here in my arms."

I heard her sniffling a little more as she pulled me closer to her body. She started kissing my chest and then moved slowly up to my neck, before nibbling on my ear. I guess she was ready for slow and tender.

XXXXXXXX

Bridget and I stayed the night in Georgia. Neither of us was ready to leave the comfort of each other's arms long enough to make the drive back to Miami. The next morning, however, we forced ourselves out of the room to be on our way. My family was expecting me, and Bridget had an important quiz on Tuesday that she couldn't miss. We spent long periods driving in comfortable silence, in between conversations about school and friends. All too soon, we were back in Miami. Don't get me wrong: I was excited to see my Abuela and Alex and Mari and the rest of my family and friends, but it meant my time alone with Bridget had come to an end.

When Bridget and I walked into the apartment, we were greeted by Steph and Carlos, who were cuddled together on the couch. Steph had a serious expression on her face, and Carlos looked weary. I had a feeling I knew what they had been discussing before we walked in. As soon as they noticed us, Steph popped off the couch and ran to greet me with a huge hug, with Carlos following behind.

"Welcome home, cuz," Carlos said as Steph placed a kiss on my cheek.

"Thanks. You ok, Steph?" She nodded as she stepped back into Carlos' arms.

"We expected you last night. Did you have car trouble?" Steph asked with a concerned look.

"No. We just wanted a little time alone." Carlos smirked at my reply and I glanced behind me long enough to catch the blush on Bridget's cheeks. "We just stopped here to freshen up before heading to Abuela's house. Do you know if Alex and Mari will be there for dinner tonight?"

"They're closing on their new house today. Mari is so excited to be getting out of the apartment, especially with the baby on the way. I'm not sure if they'll be there in time for dinner, but I know they were planning to be there for dessert. Abuela Rosa made flan," Stephanie said with a big grin.

"Will you two be there for dinner?" I asked.

"That's the plan," Carlos said, with a glance at Stephanie. "Steph has another accounting quiz tomorrow and she's nervous about it. So if I can pull her away from the books long enough, we'll be there."

"We'll be there," Stephanie said with conviction. "I'm not missing Abuela's flan!"

I couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped me. Even with all the events of the past few months, it was good to know that some things hadn't changed. Steph flushed red at my laughter and then shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "Oh well". I chuckled, and then Bridget and I went to her bedroom to drop off my duffle and freshen up. When she pulled her shirt off to change, I nearly dragged her onto the bed before she stopped me with a glare.

"I'm having a hard enough time walking without a limp. You will _not_ make it impossible for me to walk into your grandmother's house tonight."

I flashed my best wolf grin at her before closing the gap between us and pulling her into a passionate kiss. When we separated due to lack of oxygen, Bridget started unbuttoning her pants and was soon completely naked in front of me.

With a sigh she said, "Let's make it quick, Les, ok?"

I didn't answer with words. Instead, I pulled her down to the bed. I wasn't making it quick: we still had three hours before dinner, and I intended to make up for the next year that I would be missing.

Two hours later we made our way toward Abuela's house. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from snickering at the obvious limp Bridget was now sporting. No matter how much training I'd had for the past several weeks at controlling my face, it was still difficult for me. What can I say? I'm a happy guy!

We pulled up in front of Abuela's, where she was standing on the front porch waiting for us. I didn't see Mari and Alex's car on the street. As we walked hand in hand up the steps, Abuela's eyes filled with tears before she pulled me into a warm embrace.

"Congratulations, mijo. We're so proud of you!"

"Gracias, Abuela. Are Alex and Mari coming for dinner?" I was hoping Abuela would have an update.

"Si. Alex just called and they are on the way. They are very excited to show you their new home."

"I'm excited to see it."

Abuela, Bridget, and I sat in the living room while dinner finished cooking, with Abuela popping into the kitchen every few minutes. She refused to let us sit in there, insisting that the living room was more comfortable. Just when the wonderful aromas were about to kill me, Alex and Mari walked in and Abuela announced dinner was ready. We all headed to the table, and as we were dishing out our food, Stephanie and Carlos arrived. Stephanie set her book bag on the floor near the entrance to the dining room. I guess even the threat of a quiz couldn't keep her from Abuela's empanadas and flan.

Dinner passed in a rush with conversation and laughter flying. I held tightly to Bridget's hand as we ate and talked. Alex and Mari had bought a house near downtown Miami, close to Mari's office. Alex had projects all over the city, so his office location wasn't a consideration when selecting their home. They described their plans for the house, including the fact that they were going to paint the nursery blue. It took me a minute to realize that this meant they were having a boy. Stephanie squealed and rushed to Mari's side and Bridget offered her congratulations as I sat dumbfounded. I was going to have a nephew! It hit me instantly that I most likely wouldn't get to see him until he was close to a year old. I tried to hide that disappointment from my face, but failed miserably.

"Don't worry, Les. We'll send you lots of pictures, and I promise we'll tell him all about you so that he knows his uncle when you get home," Alex said as he put his hand on my shoulder before pulling me into a hug.

"Thanks, man," I said, trying desperately to hide the lump in my throat and the tears in my eyes.

"Have you chosen a name yet?" Stephanie asked with the excitement of a five-year-old.

"Not yet," Mari said with a smile on her face. "We've considered Benjamin Eduardo, but haven't officially decided."

Abuela Rosa gasped and smiled. "That is beautiful! Your Abuelo would be honored for his great grandson to carry on his name, if you decide to."

"We're discussing it, Abuela," Alex said with a smile. The rest of dinner was spent discussing baby names, and baby showers, and all things baby related. I tuned out when they started discussing breast feeding, and then suddenly realized everyone's eyes were on me.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" I asked, glancing around the table.

"Les, darling, you should go home. You look tired. We can get back together tomorrow."

"Good idea, Abuela. Bridget, are you ready to leave?" We said our goodbyes and headed back to the apartment. I had a feeling it was going to be an emotional week.

**TBC…**

**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. I am on vacation for the next two weeks, visiting my family in Kentucky. I will only be posting once a week until after July 4th.**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**I still cannot believe the response this story has gotten. I am beyond words. Thank you all so very much! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**I cannot apologize enough for my delay in posting. If I told you all the reasons why, you probably wouldn't believe me, so I'll just say RL has been kicking my tush! I promise to try extra hard to get back to my twice a week postings, but at this point, I cannot promise anything, other than that I WILL FINISH THIS STORY!**

_Previously:_

"_Les, darling, you should go home. You look tired. We can get back together tomorrow."_

"_Good idea, Abuela. Bridget, are you ready to leave?" We said our goodbyes and headed back to the apartment. I had a feeling it was going to be an emotional week. _

**Stephanie's POV**

Carlos had been edgy all night. Les was due home to spend a week with family and friends before his deployment. Carlos had really wanted to go to Les's AIT graduation, but Les was adamant that we not attend. When Carlos found out that Bridget attended anyway, he was angry that he hadn't gone against Les's express wishes and been there for him. He said, more than once, that Les really wanted us there, but didn't want to put anyone out. "I would do the same thing, Babe. I would _want_ my family there, but would tell them not to worry about coming."

"Is that advice for the future, Batman?" I knew he had been thinking about joining Les and Bobby since the events of 9/11. I could sense the change in him.

Carlos sighed deeply, so I knew I wasn't too far off the mark. "I won't deny that I've considered it, Babe."

"Just considered it, or are _still_ considering it?"

Another sigh—not a good sign. "I think about joining at least once a day, Babe."

"That sounds pretty serious."

His only answer was a nod. Before we could delve any further into that topic, the floorboard behind the couch squeaked, signaling we had company. As I glanced over my shoulder, my eyes caught Les's. I jumped from the couch and rushed to welcome him home.

We exchanged hugs and kisses before Lester and Bridget headed to the bedroom to get ready for dinner at Abuela Rosa's. As much as I wanted to go to dinner with them, I wasn't sure if I could spare the time from studying. After hours of prepping, I still felt lost and was certain I would fail the quiz the next morning. Carlos reminded me that Mari could help explain some of the concepts. That, coupled with the promise of flan, convinced me so we headed out for dinner.

When we arrived at Abuela's, I brought my book bag in and set it just inside the dining room before I joined Carlos at the table. Mari gave me a glance and then cut her eyes to the book bag. I flashed her my best, "Please God, help me" smile, which she returned with what I hoped was her, "Sure, no problem" smile. The only thing better than Abuela's delicious dinner that night was when Mari and Alex announced they would be painting the nursery blue. Bridget and I rushed to congratulate the couple, while Les sat and sadly contemplated the fact that he would miss nearly the first year of his nephew's life. Alex stepped in to reassure him that they would send pictures and make sure their son knew about his uncle. When he said this, Bridget looked sad. I hoped that she would be able to hold on while Les was gone. I knew she was nervous that their love wouldn't survive the distance.

As I moaned through dessert, my mind drifted to my earlier conversation with Carlos. What if he _did_ decide to join? I knew, no matter what, that I loved him more than I ever thought possible, and would wait for him until the end of time. But would _he_ wait for _me_? Could he last that long without sex? Our relationship wasn't only about sex, but it was a big part of it...for both of us. Would we make it, or would we be just another failed relationship statistic? That was the thought that accompanied my last bite of Abuela's delicious flan. Determined not to dwell on it, I forced my thoughts back to the group and to the book bag in the corner.

Once everything was cleaned up, Mari joined me at the table to tackle my accounting notes and prepare for my upcoming quiz. Ugh, I hated accounting!

**Carlos's POV**

I was disappointed when Les asked Bridget if she was ready to go home. I was anxious to talk to him. He was right when he wrote in his letter that we were like brothers—and at that point, I needed a brother's opinion and wisdom.

Steph and I stayed at Abuela's for another couple of hours. Mari helped Steph with her accounting while Alex and I sat and watched a game on TV. I knew I could probably talk to him about the thoughts I'd been having, but I wasn't as close to him as I was to Les. So I bit my tongue and decided to wait. As Steph and I headed home that night, I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, while she was flying high, having finally had a breakthrough in accounting.

"I still can't believe I understand it now! I mean, I don't want to change my major or anything, but this stuff is actually pretty neat!" she mused as I drove. When we got home, we took a shower together, where I reminded her how good I was in there, and then headed to bed. Tomorrow was the day I _had _to talk to Les.

XXXXXXXXX

I couldn't believe it! I hadn't seen Les all day. He and Bridget hadn't emerged from her room when Steph and I went for our morning workout, and afterward I had to head straight to work. I thought for sure that Les would be at the apartment when I arrived home that afternoon, but he wasn't. So I did the only thing I could think of: I called Abuela's to see if he was there. She said he wasn't, but that he and Bridget _would_ be there for dinner again that night, and invited Steph and me to join them.

After leaving Steph a note about dinner, I sat impatiently through my afternoon classes and then rushed home to get ready. Steph was waiting for me, dressed in a top that would usually cause us to be late no matter where we were going. But not tonight: I was a man on a mission. She gave me a kiss and whispered, "Good to know you're learning some control, Batman." If she only knew that it was taking all my energy _not_ to throw her down on the bed and spend the next three days there!

At Abuela's, we sat through another amazing dinner, and I struggled through Steph eating dessert. Her moaning, combined with the way she was dressed, left me unsure whether I'd be able to stand up from the table in the presence of my Abuela. Thankfully, we sat at the table and talked for a while after dinner before I asked Les if he'd join me for a game of basketball. Alex, who was also at dinner, asked if he could join us. I nodded, and we headed outside while the girls cleaned up the kitchen.

"Tell me what's on your mind, cuz," Lester prompted, as we made our way toward the basketball court.

"Too much," I answered, picking up the ball and tossing it to Alex. Normally, Les and I would play one-on-one, but neither of us wanted to leave Alex out, so we just shot around instead.

"Can you believe it was only a year ago that we were in this same spot? I didn't have Bridget, you didn't have Steph, and the world wasn't in utter chaos?" Les mused.

"It doesn't seem possible that Steph's only been in my life a year. It also doesn't seem possible that a year ago we didn't have Alex back yet." Les and I both turned our eyes to Alex, who gave us a small smile.

"If it wasn't for Stephanie, I'm not sure I would _be_ back. She changed my life…by shouting at me!" We all laughed at that for a few moments, taking turns throwing the ball into the hoop. Steph was really good at changing people's lives.

"Ok, Carlos, enough stalling. I know that look in your eyes; you had it earlier at the apartment and all through dinner last night and tonight. Spill!"

"I'm thinking about joining up." I didn't have to clarify _what_ I was thinking about joining—they knew.

"Seriously?" Alex asked, with a look of both shock and awe.

"Yeah," I said with a sigh.

"What does Steph think about that?" Les asked cautiously.

"We only just started talking about it right before you got home."

"So that explains the serious looks on your faces. Well, how much thought have you given it?"

"A lot, actually. I'm just not sure what to do."

"If you aren't sure, then you shouldn't. It's serious over there. You could get killed. If you don't know for sure, then it isn't the right choice," Les offered. When the hell did he get so smart?

I nodded and we played around for a while in silence. Les spoke up next, on a completely different topic. "I think Abuelo and Papa would be proud for your son to carry their names, Alex."

Alex smiled. "I hope so. Mari and I are pretty set on it, but are afraid to say it's set in stone."

"What are you afraid of?"

"Things go wrong in pregnancies all the time. We just don't want to jinx ourselves."

"Have some faith, Alex," Les said. After staring for a moment, Alex nodded. Having faith was hard for him.

Alex quickly changed the subject. "So, have you guys heard from Bobby yet?"

"Steph has. He writes her pretty often, and of course she writes him back. He seems to be doing well, and is in surprisingly high spirits. She said he mentioned that he finally felt like he was "doing something".

"I'm glad for him. I know how distraught he must have been," Les said. "He and his Uncle Tommy were really close."

We stayed quiet for a few minutes, each lost in our own thoughts. Mine traveled, once again, to whether or not to join. Alex's words brought me out of my internal debate. "Hey, what about your other friend that enlisted about the same time as you, Les? His name was Cal, right?"

"Yeah, Cal. I got a letter or two from him during basic and then another couple during AIT. He was in Illinois and then went to 'A' school out in California. He said he wanted to be a linguist. I haven't heard from him in a while though, so I'm not sure where he is now, or what his next step is."

"He writes Steph too," I added. "He went to the Defense Language School in Monterey. Steph said he was learning French and Spanish. Apparently, he wants to be a SEAL eventually, and thought that would be a good second step from boot camp. I think Steph mentioned him getting assigned to SOCOM in Tampa as an analyst. He should be there any time now."

"Why didn't he go ahead to the SEAL training?" Alex asked.

"He didn't say."

"That would be awesome if he actually became a SEAL. He mentioned that before he even joined. I'd like to be a Ranger at some point. Best of the best, you know?" Les said with a broad smile. It was obvious that he felt he was on the right path, even if there was some lingering fear.

"So, when are Tio Ricardo and Tia Maria coming down from Jersey?" Les asked. "Are the girls and Antonio coming with them?"

"They should be here on Thursday," I said. "I'm sure about everyone but Celia. She was going to see about missing her classes, and was pretty sure it wouldn't be a problem."

"Good. I'd like to be able to see everyone before I deploy," Les said, leading to another few moments of silence. This could be the last time we just hung out for a long time, and none of us wanted it to end.

An hour later we headed back into the house. Steph was speaking when we entered the room. "Ms Vreeland, my accounting prof, has a brother who was in the twin towers when they were hit. The Thursday after 9/11 we were in class when she finally got word that he was alive. He apparently had a pretty serious head injury from flying debris. They couldn't ID him, because he had left his wallet in his desk and he couldn't remember who he was. His wife found him after having gone to every hospital in the city, showing everyone his picture to see if he was there. She refused to believe he was dead. When Ms Vreeland got the call that he was ok, she collapsed in tears. It was heartbreaking and amazing at the same time."

I cleared my throat when Steph paused for a second, and four heads whipped around toward us. "You ready to go home, Babe?" With a nod, she stood and said her goodbyes before we headed for the door. Les said he would follow us shortly, but that he and Bridget were going to stay for just a while longer. Steph was unusually quiet on the ride back to our apartment.

"Deep thoughts, Babe?" I couldn't take "Silent Steph" any longer.

"I would understand, you know."

"Understand what, Babe?"

"If you joined. I'm not saying I would like it. But I love you. And I would understand why you wanted to. A lot of people were impacted that day. Jeez, my Dad still can't hear anything, we almost lost Mari, and Bobby lost his uncle—and that's just a drop in the bucket, Carlos. So I would understand."

"I'm still not sure it's the right thing to do, Babe. So let's table the discussion for a while. But I promise to talk to you about it when I have a better idea of what I should do. Deal?"

"Deal."

**Les's POV**

I could tell how torn Carlos was about joining up. I didn't want to push my feelings on him, so when he showed some hesitation, I told him if he wasn't sure, then he shouldn't do it. The truth was, I wanted to beg him to join. Even if we wouldn't be in the same unit, just knowing he was over there with me would make a huge difference. I'd seen the guy work out, and I remembered how he handled the guys causing me trouble in high school. He was in great physical condition—way better than me. He just had this presence about him, and would make an amazing leader. I knew _I_ would follow him anywhere. I hoped he would make the decision to join and I hoped it would be soon.

"Hey! Little brother, where'd you go?" Alex's raised voice brought me out of my head.

"Huh? What? Oh. Sorry. I was just thinking."

"Must have been some serious thoughts, I've been calling your name over and over."

"Sorry. What's up?"

"Mari and I wanted to see if you were free tomorrow to go see our new house."

I looked at Bridget. If she wasn't in class or at work, I wanted to be with her. I knew she wasn't working, but I wasn't sure of her class schedule. "Donna gave me this week off," Bridget explained, "so I don't have anything in the morning. I have class in the afternoon, but I'm finished around five."

"Does around four work for you, Les?" Mari asked. "I was planning on only working half days the rest of this week, so we could go see the house and then have dinner at the apartment."

"That works. And then Bridget could meet us for dinner."

"Perfect. Ok, Alex. You need to get your exhausted, pregnant wife home before she collapses right here," Mari said with a smile. I was glad to see them both so happy.

"We should go too, Abuela. Thank you for the amazing dinner, and I'll see you later!"

"I'm here, mijo. You come whenever you want."

XXXXXXXXX

Bridget and I spent the entire morning in bed together, only climbing out to refuel after Carlos and Stephanie left for class. When Bridget finally decided she had better get ready for school, I decided it would be a good time for me to go for a run. After the extensive physical training of basic and AIT, it felt strange not to be exercising. Ok, so I was exercising in the bedroom, but that doesn't count. I ran around campus and got as far as the elementary school where Stephanie and I worked last year before I thought I should turn around. School was just getting out, and I spotted Julio with a guy who looked like he might be his brother.

"Julio!" I called. The older guy immediately stepped in front of him and then took up a fighting stance. I stopped running and put my hands up in an attempt to show I wasn't a threat. In rapid-fire Spanish, the guy asked who I was and what I wanted. As soon as my name left my lips, Julio shot out from behind him and he rushed toward me.

"Les! What are you doing here?"

"I was just out running when I spotted you, and I wanted to say 'Hi'."

"No, I mean…I thought you joined the Army. What are you doing in Miami? How is Stephanie, have you seen her?"

"I did join the Army. In fact, I leave next week to go overseas. And Stephanie is great. She's still dating my cousin Carlos, do you remember him?"

"Si, of course," and then he glanced back toward the guy he had been standing with. "That's my brother Hector. He's kinda overprotective."

I gave Hector the standard chin lift greeting. I remembered Carlos telling me about Julio's brother helping to save Steph from Aaron last year. "Hola, hombre." He gave me a chin lift back, but still watched me with a dark look on his face. He didn't trust me, and that was ok.

"Listen, I'd better get going. You stay out of trouble, ok?" Julio nodded, and I waved to him and Hector as I ran off. Julio was a good kid, and I hoped whatever troubles his brother had wouldn't follow him home.

When I'd finished my run, I took a quick shower and then got ready to go. Alex and Mari picked me up right at four and we headed toward their new house. They would be moving sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and were ecstatic. The house was nice, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open floor plan, and a huge living area. Even though the kitchen was a little on the small side, Mari said she loved it, and that was all that mattered.

We arrived back at their apartment a little after 5:30 and found Bridget waiting for us in the parking lot. Mari apologized profusely for keeping her waiting, but she brushed it off saying it was no trouble.

I put my arm around her shoulder as soon as I could and whispered my own apology. "I'd wait forever for you, Les," she whispered back, melting me completely. I wondered if she knew how much it meant to me to hear her say that. Kissing her temple, I silently promised myself I would show her just how much it meant to me as soon as we got home.

Dinner was amazing. Alex was thoroughly impressed with the meal Mari made, saying it was the best thing she ever cooked. While some might have thought he was sucking up to his pregnant wife—she actually accused him of that—the meal really _was _great. She made this chicken and rice dish, and the chicken was seasoned perfectly and incredibly tender, so his words of praise were highly accurate.

When we arrived home that night, the apartment was empty. We had no idea where Steph and Carlos were, but we didn't care. All that mattered was that Bridget and I were going to have some alone time. I peeled her clothes off as we walked down the hall to our room, throwing them on the floor just inside the door as I kicked it closed behind me. She took her turn, slowly pulling my clothes off, and an instant later we were on the bed together. Our lovemaking was slow and passionate. I whispered "I love you" more times than I can count, and it was returned each and every time.

As we lay together in each other's arms afterward, the words flew out of my mouth before my brain had any chance to second-guess itself: "Bridget, will you marry me?"

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: Ok everyone! I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. And I'm posing a challenge. I need a boost this week – real life has me stressing. So, I challenge you to review! If you often do, please continue – they mean the world to me. If you usually don't, please do. You don't know the impact they have on the author. If you have before, but not recently – give a girl a shout! I look forward to this being the most reviewed chapter yet. PLEASE!**_


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that offered words of encouragement and support for the last chapter. You are all amazing! Thank you! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

_Previously:_

_As we lay together in each other's arms afterwards, the words flowed out of my mouth before my brain had any chance to second-guess itself. "Bridget, will you marry me?"_

**Bridget's POV**

I was frozen, completely unable to move…even breathe. Had he just said what I thought he said? Because I thought he had asked me to marry him!

"Les…" was all I could say. No other words would come to me.

"Baby, I know this is terrible timing, but I love you. I want to know you're mine and that I have something—someone—to come home to."

"Les, I love you. More than anything! And I'll be here when you get back, I promise you. But marriage…"

"I know it's soon, but I also know it's what I want. The question is, do you want the same thing?"

"I don't want to hurt you, but I don't think I'm ready to be someone's wife yet. I'm not even twenty years old! Plus, when we get married, I plan on spending at least a week locked inside a room with you. And that's before we even get to the honeymoon," I smiled in an attempt to relieve the tension. "I want our wedding to be special, not something that we rushed into before you left for some Godforsaken country. I want our families there, and flowers and vows…" I trailed off at the look on his face. "Please don't be upset, Les. I'm _not_ telling you no. I'm just telling you not right now."

**Les's POV**

I didn't expect the words, "Will you marry me?" to come out of my mouth, but once they had, I knew without a doubt that marriage was truly what I wanted. A part of me was crushed when she told me no.

"Les?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you upset with me?"

Was I? Probably a bit. But mostly I was upset that she didn't want the same thing as me. "No."

"Then why do you look like you just lost your best friend?"

"Part of me feels like I have."

"I'm right here, Les, and I'm not going anywhere. I said I'd wait for you forever, remember?" I leaned over and started kissing him, and we didn't talk much after that…at least not that night.

**Stephanie's POV**

Carlos had been a little quieter than normal since his conversation with Les the night before. After another dinner at Abuela Rosa's, he and I went down to the beach to walk. Thankfully, I had my jacket, because the mist coming off the water made the air a little chilly.

"You ok?" I asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm ok. Just thinking."

"Want to talk about it? It might help to think out loud. I do it all the time." My attempt at lightening the mood seemed to work, as he let out a soft bark of laughter.

"I'm just worried about our friends, and feeling like a coward for not joining them."

I stopped walking. I wasn't going to let him put himself down. "You are _not_ a coward, Carlos. No way. If you're hesitant to join, then the smart thing is to wait…you don't want to go in feeling unsure."

"Les said the same thing."

"But if you want to, I'll support you and be here for you. The decision is yours, but I won't let you denigrate yourself for not choosing the same path they did. Ok?"

"Ok."

We walked along the beach for hours. He didn't say much more, and I didn't want to push. I knew he was waging an internal war over this decision, and I wanted it to be his _own_ choice, so I tried to stay out of it. But even though we didn't talk much, I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to walk hand-in-hand—occasionally wrapped in his arms—with this man that I loved so much.

We arrived home well after midnight to a dark, quiet apartment. Carlos and I headed to bed, as the next day was our early Thanksgiving celebration with his entire family.

**Carlos' POV**

I was looking forward to my family's visit, but dreading it at the same time. I was afraid they would sense that something was wrong, but I wasn't ready to discuss my thoughts about joining the Army with them. Mama and Papa were already upset about Lester joining; they were proud of him, but their fear of losing him seemed to overshadow their pride. If I mentioned that I was considering enlisting, it could end up ruining the day.

"Steph. Babe, wake up."

"Mmmmm," she said, cuddling closer to me. I loved holding her in my arms, especially when she was asleep. Her subconscious seemed to have an even greater need to be close to me than her conscious mind, and I loved it.

"Babe, my family will be in Miami any minute now. We need to get up and get ready to head to Abuela's house."

"Mmmmm, ok. I'm up."

"Can you do me a favor, Babe?"

"I can try."

"Don't mention that I'm considering joining the Army around my parents. I don't want to worry them when I haven't made a decision, and I don't want to ruin Lester's last family gathering for a while."

"I won't say anything to them, Carlos. But you should. This isn't a decision you should spring on them."

"I'll tell them when the time is right, Babe. I promise." With a kiss on my cheek she left the bed and headed to the bathroom.

**Stephanie's POV**

Don't mention it to his family! He's going to join…I know it.

**Lester's POV**

I had very mixed feelings about the day. I was salivating over the thought of all the scrumptious food that Tia Maria and Abuela Rosa always make for our holidays, but anxious about the emotions that would follow. _Knowing_ that this was the last time I would see them for at least a year was not a happy thought. I was so glad that Alex was back in the fold. Not that he would take my place in the family, but…

Bridget had made passionate love to me and then held me extra tight all night after turning down my proposal. After some thought, I realized she was right. I didn't want to waste the last few days with my family planning a rushed wedding. I loved Bridget, more than anything, and I _did_ want her to be my wife. But was it fair to make her my wife and then run off and leave her for a year or more? No, I realized, it wasn't. So, in retrospect, I was glad she said no. Although the thought of having a wife to come home to was a comforting thought, I decided to settle for coming home and _making_ her my wife.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

We headed to Abuela's around 11. Steph and Carlos had left shortly after nine, but when Bridget stepped out of the shower, her body glistening wet, there was no way we were leaving the apartment for at least an hour. Carlos and Steph must have had _some_ clue as to what was going on, as they didn't even knock to see if we wanted to head over with them. Bridget forced me away from her around 10:30, and said that if I didn't leave her alone and quit giving her "that look", we'd never make it out of the apartment. And as tempting as that was, I wasn't going to miss seeing all my family one last time before…well, for a while. I guess the fear of dying was still there.

When we pulled up to Abuela's house, I smiled at the sight before me. As usual, Abuela Rosa and Tia Maria stood on the porch: as if by some internal radar, they knew when we would arrive. Bridget and I were greeted with hugs and kisses, before being ushered inside and attacked by the wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen.

My family was there already: Alex, Mari, Abuela, and all the Manosos. I was fortunate that I had a family that loved me enough to come all this way to see me before my deployment. They understood why I was doing what I was doing. They didn't question me: they just supported me. I knew from basic and AIT that not everyone's family understands what it means to have the desire to be a soldier. Even after 9/11, some people will just never understand.

Carlos and Stephanie were standing a few feet from me when I looked at Carlos and said, "We're really lucky, you know that?"

He smiled before saying, "Why are we lucky, cousin?"

"Because we have family that loves and supports us. It can't be easy for them to know what awaits us, and yet they come together, and show us nothing but love." As I was talking to him, he went slightly pale. I looked around at the shock on everyone's faces and couldn't figure out what I'd said wrong, until Tia Maria spoke up.

"Supports _us_? Carlos, what does Lester mean, 'they know what awaits _us'_?"

Oh shit!

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that offered words of encouragement and support for the last chapter. You are all amazing! Thank you! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**My sincerest apologizes for the delay in posting. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind for me and my family. We are in the process of moving which, with three small children, is no easy task. And, we had to spend last week helping my husband's parents move as well. Needless to say…I'm sick of moving already! Our move is coming up this coming weekend. I'll do my very best to get another chapter out quickly and then hopefully, I can get back to a normal posting schedule. I truly appreciate you sticking with me!**

_Previously:_

"_Supports us? Carlos, what does Lester mean, 'they know what awaits us'?"_

_Oh shit!_

**Carlos' POV**

I'm going to kill my cousin! "Nothing, Mama."

"Don't 'nothing' me, Carlos. Lester said 'us'. Now, what did he mean?" Mama asked. I should have known better than to try to keep my thoughts about joining the Army from my family.

"It's just something I've been thinking about, Mama. I haven't made any decisions. As usual, Lester jumped the gun and blabbed his mouth!" As I glared at Lester, the sheepish look on his face showed that he knew he had messed up.

"So sorry, Tia." Lester said contritely.

"Carlos, mijo, you know you can talk about anything with us," Papa said, while running his hand up and down Mama's back.

"I know, Papa. I'm just still so torn about what to do, and I didn't want to cause any undue worry. I'm sorry."

"If it's something you are considering seriously, then the worry isn't undue. Perhaps we can sit down and discuss this after dinner?"

"I would truly prefer to wait, Papa," I said. "I'm nowhere near to making a decision, and I don't want to cloud Lester's last few days home with this topic. Can we just enjoy our holiday and discuss this later?"

Mama and Papa acquiesced reluctantly and we all moved toward the dining room to enjoy dinner. The first half of the meal was filled with an awkward silence, as no one knew what was safe to discuss. The silence wasn't broken until Steph—lost in the food, as usual—let out a long, low moan as she ate an empanada. The room stilled and then broke out into chuckles. The look on Steph's face as she froze and then opened her eyes to see everyone staring at her turned the chuckles into all-out laughter. She gave an embarrassed smile and then blushed, before dropping her head and diving back into her meal. I gave her a gentle squeeze on her thigh and she gave me a small wink…she knew exactly what she was doing!

After that, the conversation flowed. From discussion of the people that Les had met at basic and AIT to what he thought he would be facing "over there". He couldn't give us specifics on where he was going, but it was obvious that he was nervous about it. Bridget kept her eyes locked on Lester the entire evening, and was practically in his lap when everyone moved to the living room. We all sat down to watch "It's a Wonderful Life", which is a cherished Manoso Christmas tradition. Steph cuddled next to me the entire movie, but it was obvious her mind was elsewhere.

**Stephanie's POV**

I tried to focus on the movie, I really did. I love that movie. Thoughts of what happened the last time we watched it filled my mind, and what happened just a few days later crept in as well. I hoped Carlos knew how much I loved him. I hoped I'd done a good job of showing him, of telling him. I was worried for Les. War…God, war! I knew this was a possibility when he joined the Army, but I just didn't expect it so soon. And Cal was gone too. I knew he was currently safe in Tampa, but who knew where he would head next? And Bobby? Poor Bobby. He had so much anger over losing his Uncle Tommy, rightfully so. But I just hoped he didn't lose his focus and give his family another reason to grieve.

Carlos put off talking about joining the Army with his family, which I was grateful for. I didn't want to hear that conversation right then, especially if they were going to try to talk him out of it. Not that I wanted him to go, but what would that do to Les's morale to hear that? Ugh, why did life have to be so hard? Why couldn't I go back to being seven, where the worst thing going on in the world was my broken arm from jumping off the roof in a failed attempt at trying to fly? Why didn't I listen all those times my mom told me not to be in a hurry to grow up, that it wasn't much to write home about? Boy, was she right. Not that I was willing to admit that to her right then. I was barely 20 years old; life should not be this hard yet.

When Carlos squeezed my leg, I couldn't believe it was to the "every time a bell rings, an Angel gets its wings" part! I had missed the entire movie. Tears sprang uninvited to my eyes. God, please…don't let any of my friends become one of those angels too soon. Please!

We wished the Manosos goodnight and headed back to the apartment. Les and Bridget elected to spend the night at Abuela Rosa's house with the rest of the family, so Carlos and I were alone as we walked into our dark and silent apartment.

"You ok, Babe? You've been awfully quiet tonight."

I sighed. "I'm not sure, Carlos. I'd like to say yes, but I haven't lied to you yet, and I don't want to start now."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It isn't anything that we haven't already discussed. I'm frightened for our friends, for you. I won't try to stop you if you choose to join. I love you, and I will support you no matter what, and I'll be here waiting for you if you do go, but it doesn't make me any less frightened. Because I am. I'm scared to death that I'm going to lose you, or Les, or Cal, or Bobby. I know that something could happen to you anywhere, and that no one's tomorrow is guaranteed, but…" and before I could finish my sentence I broke into sobs. Sobs I had tried desperately to hold back since September.

Carlos quickly took me in his arms and whispered to me in Spanish, while rubbing his hands up and down my back in an attempt to soothe me. Why did I have the feeling that he was saying things that I needed to be able to understand? Damn it, I'm enrolling in Spanish classes!

After my crying jag was over, Carlos carried me to our bedroom and held me. I kissed his neck, up to his ear and then down his jaw, before our lips met in a kiss that was filled with love and passion. We became lost in each other, as we have so many times before, and it was hours before either of us saw sleep. His whispered "te amo" filled my heart as I drifted off.

The next two days with Les and the Manosos were hard for everyone. No one wanted to act like it was the last time any of us would see Lester, but we also knew it was possible. Alex was constantly pulling Lester into an embrace and trying hard to fight his own tears, to be strong for his brother. When the time came for Les to leave early Sunday morning, I wasn't sure he was going to get on the plane. We had all accompanied him to the airport to see him off. Of course, because of the post-9/11 security measures, none of us were able to go any further than the security checkpoint. Les hugged each of us, whispering his goodbyes and holding on longer than he normally would.

"I love you, Beautiful. You're one of my best friends. Take care of Bridget and my cousin, ok?" I was only able to nod, the lump in my throat making it impossible to speak. "Write to me?"

"I promise," I managed to squeak out, before he moved on to Bridget. He held her for a very long time, and I have no idea what he said to her, but she was constantly nodding. And then with one searing kiss, he pulled away, grabbed his duffle, and walked through security without looking back. I suppose he couldn't; I know I wouldn't have been able to.

We all stood—frozen—as we watched him go through the metal detector and then grab his duffel and round the corner. When he was completely out of sight, everyone seemed to let go. Maria crumpled into Ricardo, Alex, Mari and Abuela Rosa held tightly to each other, and Bridget crumpled into me. Why did she think I was strong enough to support both of us? Thankfully, Carlos was on my other side and his strength kept us from falling to the ground.

The Manosos accompanied us to the Kappa sorority house so they could load up some of the supplies we had been gathering to take to New York at Christmas. After the van was loaded, we hugged Carlos' parents and all of his siblings and wished them goodbye. It had been an extremely emotional day. Wiping her eyes, Maria implored me to "take care of my boy" before she got into the passenger seat. Ricardo wished us well on our finals and said he would see us at Christmas; then he climbed into the van and they headed out.

Oh God, finals. That was something I certainly wasn't looking forward to.

_**Three weeks later…**_

Ugh, I hated finals! Thankfully, I got out of a couple because my grades in those classes were so high, but the three I did have to take were going to kill me. Accounting was, in a word, terrible. Mari came to the apartment and helped me study, but it was still a crapshoot. If I passed, it would be a miracle!

My interior design final project was relatively easy for me, probably because I enjoyed it so much, and I finished it up two days before it was due, allowing me enough time to make a couple of final edits to it without feeling pressured. The essay I was writing for my world politics class—stupid business school requirement—was a royal pain! Henry Kissinger, ugh. I was definitely glad I hadn't majored in political science. Carlos helped me some with that paper. He found the topic interesting, and said he might even take the class next semester to "broaden his horizons". I still had the distinct feeling he wouldn't be in Miami next semester, but I kept my mouth shut about it.

Bridget was struggling even more than I was with her finals. She was having trouble focusing since Lester left. He had already sent her several letters, but they did little to ease her mind. She told me about Lester proposing to her and that she had told him it was too soon. She was regretting that now, and said she wished she was his wife, although she admitted it would probably have made her miss him more. I encouraged her to tell him that in a letter. He wouldn't like knowing how sad she was, but knowing that she was counting the minutes until he came home would give him hope.

As she penned the letter to Les, stating the exact number of minutes until he was projected to be home (493,560), she giggled and her mood seemed to lighten.

When our finals were complete, we celebrated. The SAE house had been rebuilt after the fire, but because the Kappas were their "sisters", the party was held jointly at the larger Kappa house. It was a "Thank you for donating supplies to the Guardsmen in New York/End of semester celebration" party, and it was a huge success. Carlos volunteered to be the designated driver so Bridget and I were able to cut loose. He danced with me the entire night, fighting to stay in the moment. I know thoughts of joining were weighing heavily on him again, but he tried not to show them.

After the party, Carlos helped Bridget and me stumble into our apartment well after one in the morning. Bridget mumbled something about us being quieter when we had sex because "some of us aren't getting any". Then she went through her door and collapsed on her bed, out like a light. I giggled and looked at Carlos before I said, "I think we can be as loud as we want!"

XXXXXXXX

The drive to Jersey for Christmas took forever, mostly because we agreed to let our grandparents tag along. Abuela Rosa insisted on renting a full-size van for Carlos and me to drive, so we all comfortably fit in one vehicle. Plus it gave us enough room for the rest of the supplies that were going to New York. Alex and Mari were both working until two days before Christmas and had to be back two days after, so they were flying to Newark. Lucky them!

Grandma Mazur and Rosa giggled like school girls in the back seat. Grandpa Mazur was having a difficult time with flatulence, and we had to make a number of restroom stops. Apparently traveling gives him indigestion. I was about to lose it when we finally pulled into Trenton. Carlos carried my grandparents' bags into the house and up the stairs to my old room. Val was still living there with little Angie, who was now five months old, so I would be stuck with the sofa. I think my parents may have planned for that to happen. Carlos offered to have me join him at his parents' house in Newark, but tempting as that was, I needed a little family time, so I declined. We agreed to head to New York two days later, on Wednesday the 19th. We wanted to have the items we collected distributed before Christmas. I would drive to Newark, and then Carlos and I would head into the city together.

The two days spent at home were difficult. Grandpa Harry was feeling sluggish, but blamed it on the long drive from Miami. Grandma doted on him and worry showed on her face. Val was in a terrific mood, as her divorce from Steve was granted the day we arrived home. She was floating on cloud nine, and it seemed Joe Morelli was also. He was extremely affectionate with her—even in front of my parents, which surprised me—and he carried Angie around like he was a proud Papa. As disturbing as it was to watch, I was happy for them. I had my doubts, but hoped Joe really had changed his ways and that he and Val could be happy together.

Wednesday morning arrived quickly, and I was up early to head to Newark. Mind you, Joe attempting to sneak by me as I slept on the couch woke me earlier than I would have liked.

"Joe?"

He jumped and then turned to give me a sheepish grin. "Hey, Steph. Did I wake you?"

"You aren't exactly quiet. Geez, what time is it?"

"It's a little after five, and I've got to head to work. Angie was a little fussy, so I was helping Val with her, and I must have fallen asleep."

He had guilt written all over his face: I could guarantee sleep wasn't all he did in that room. "You know my Grandma is a really light sleeper, right, Joe?"

He paled visibly, and I couldn't help but smirk. "You better treat my sister right, or I'll come after you, and this time I'll use the Buick!"

He nodded before whispering, "I promise, Steph." I gave him a nod and he quickly scooted out the door. With a self-satisfied smile, I laid back on the couch and thought about my last letter from Lester. He seemed upbeat…too upbeat. I can't imagine that the reality is anything like the picture he tried to paint for me. I know he doesn't want me to worry, but I'm also not stupid. It's a war zone for goodness sake! With a heavy sigh, I got up to get ready, hoping to beat everyone to the bathroom.

**Carlos' POV**

_Carlos,_

_It's bad man, worse than I could have imagined. I feel like I have to sleep with one eye open. Talk about being aware of your surroundings. We've already lost a couple guys that I went to basic with. Man, I wish you were here watching my back! _

_How's Steph? Are you taking care of Bridget? She was so brave when I left. She writes me often, said she was sorry she turned down my proposal and made me promise to come back to her and make her my wife. Can you believe it? Dios I love her. Here I am, in the middle of a fucking war zone and all I can think about is Bridget. Is she miserable? Is she really going to wait for me, or is some _Jody_ going to come in and sweep her off her feet, while I'm here fighting the good fight? I know it's stupid. She told me she loved me, over and over, the whole week I was in Miami, and that she would wait for me as long as it took. Is it selfish of me to want her to?_

_Have you given any more thought to joining? It certainly isn't all fun and games over here, and I sure wish you were here. Bobby wrote me from AIT, says he can't wait to finish up and get over here and kick some ass. _

_Enjoy your Christmas with the family, and tell everyone I love them._

_Les_

I must have read Les's letter a hundred times since I received it the day before we left Miami. I didn't tell Steph I got it; I didn't want her to ask what he said. Knowing he wishes I was there to watch his back eats at me constantly. I should be there. I should join. I want to join, but Dios I don't want to hurt my Babe. I know how worried she is about Les, and Bobby, who isn't even in harm's way yet. Worrying about me on top of that would be horrible for her. Would our relationship survive if I went? She has told me more than once that she would understand and that she would wait for me, but is that realistic? Could I ask her to wait? And then, could I survive it if she didn't?

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts, and with a gruff "Come in," I sat myself up in bed.

"Morning, mijo," Mama said, poking her head in the door. "Do you know what time Stephanie is going to be here? I didn't know if you wanted me to make you breakfast before you head into Manhattan."

"Breakfast would be great, Mom. She said she would be here around nine; what time is it now?"

"It's just after eight."

After eight? I hadn't slept that long in ages! I guessed I wouldn't be going on a run that morning. "Ok, I'll get ready now and will be down shortly. Thanks, Mama." With a nod, she pulled the door shut. I got up and quickly showered before dressing for the day. I had loaded the van the previous night with all of the supplies to take with us, so we would be ready to go when Steph arrived. The weather was forecast to be mild this week, so it would be an easy trip in and out of the city.

As I walked down the stairs I heard laughter coming from the kitchen. My Babe must have arrived early.

"Morning, Carlos," she greeted me as I leaned down to kiss her forehead. Dios she looked beautiful! A blue cable-knit sweater and a pair of jeans that highlighted her curves perfectly! Man, it had been a long two days. She caught my eye, and I could see she knew what I was thinking, based on the blush on her cheeks. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, let me just grab a quick bite."

"I made you some breakfast burritos, mijo, so you could take it in the car."

"Thanks, Mama!" I grabbed the paper plate of egg and chorizo burritos, and with a quick kiss on my Mama's cheek we headed out the door.

The drive into Manhattan was filled with conversation—not my norm, but my Babe is chatty. She told me about her worry over her Grandpa Harry's health, and Val and Joe's relationship. She laughed as she recounted his attempt to sneak out that morning and her threat of using the Buick to come after him. I couldn't help but laugh with her. I certainly wouldn't want to piss my Babe off.

As we neared the city, Steph said she wanted to drop a few of the supplies at the Red Cross station on Liberty before we made our way to where the Guardsmen were stationed. As I navigated the streets of Manhattan, a putrid smell seeped into our vehicle. Stephanie covered her nose with her hand, and her eyes were wide staring out the windshield. The closer we got to Ground Zero the worse the sight and smell became. We drove along Liberty as far as we were allowed before I pulled the car to the curb.

Up ahead of us was Ground Zero. The piles of rubble were still visible and the streets were filled with cleanup crews and emergency personnel. People wore respirator masks in an attempt to block the chemical smells. I didn't know what Les was seeing wherever he was, but this certainly looked like a war zone.

Stephanie and I turned to face each other at the exact same time. She saw it in my eyes, and I knew she knew: I was joining the Army.

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**My sincerest apologizes for the delay in posting. We having finished the actual moving process and have moved on to the unpacking part. I'm honestly hoping life has calmed down and that I'm back on track. I truly appreciate you sticking with me!**

_Previously:_

_Up ahead of us was Ground Zero. The piles of rubble were still visible and the streets were filled with cleanup crews and emergency personnel. People wore respirator masks in an attempt to block the chemical smells. I didn't know what Les was seeing wherever he was, but this certainly looked like a war zone._

_Stephanie and I turned to face each other at the exact same time. She saw it in my eyes, and I knew she knew: I was joining the Army. _

**Ch. 42**

**Stephanie's POV**

I couldn't believe the devastation. I mean sure, I'd seen it on television, but to see it in person made it a whole different reality. The smell was indescribable, and the dust that still lingered was surprising. The fact that the fires were still burning more than two months later was astonishing. My thoughts went to Bobby's Uncle Tommy and to my dad. Remembering that my dad almost didn't make it out alive, and that Bobby's uncle didn't survive, made me flush with anger. I wanted the people who did this to pay.

Turning to Carlos, I caught his eyes and I knew: he was joining.

"You're going to join."

"I have to, Babe. Look at this."

"I know. I see it. I won't ask you not to, I'm too angry at what has happened to our country to ask you not to. But I'm scared, Carlos."

"I'm scared too, Babe."

We sat and silently stared out the van windows at the devastation in front of us, the open and seemingly empty skyline, and at the workers who wore respirator masks to keep from breathing in the acrid chemicals. With a heavy sigh, I turned back to Carlos and said, "Let's go."

As we got out of the van, we were approached by a security guard whom I hadn't noticed watching us.

"This is a restricted area. I'm going to have to ask you to return to your vehicle and move along."

"Sir, we just wanted to deliver some supplies that we collected down at the University of Miami to the Red Cross station over there," Carlos pointed as he explained. "Please, feel free to check our van. I promise our intentions are honorable."

The guard looked as if he still wanted to tell us to move along, but at the same time, seemed moved that we were here to offer support. He moved around to look at the supplies we had filling the back of the van and gaped at the amount. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Do you need any help carrying these things?"

"No sir," Carlos responded. "We have some medical supplies—gauze and bandages—that we wanted to give them, and then were hoping they could let us know what else they might need. Then we wanted to take the rest of the supplies to the National Guardsmen to distribute. Would you be able to recommend the best place for us to take them?"

"Ideally, you would go to Liberty Park, but unfortunately it's too close to the debris. So, you should probably head over to Battery Park. I can radio one of my co-workers and let him know you're headed that way and to look out for you. He can help guide you to the Guardsmen."

"That would be great," I said, excited that our plan to help was becoming a reality. "Thank you!"

"My pleasure, ma'am. Thank you for your support."

As we walked away to deliver the first set of supplies to the Red Cross, I turned to Carlos and asked, "Did he just call me 'ma'am'?"

XXXXXXXXXX

The drive back from New York was mostly silent, both of us reflecting on the day. Everyone was so grateful for the supplies that we delivered, and it felt amazing to be able to do something to help. I was still somewhat shocked by my up-close view of the devastation, and was also reeling over the knowledge that I might lose Carlos. Besides the reality that he could be killed, would we survive him joining the Army? Could we? While our relationship wasn't only based on sex, it was a large part. Would he be able to go that long without sex? Would I be able to? Who was I kidding…I didn't want anyone other than Carlos, so of course I could wait. My biggest fear was that he couldn't.

"I love you, you know that, right?" Carlos said, breaking the silence.

"I know. I love you too."

"This doesn't have to change anything, Steph."

"I know it doesn't have to, but I'm afraid it will. I'm afraid it will change everything."

"It will only change things if we let it." And with that, we returned to silence. Was Carlos right? Would things only change if we let them? God, I hoped he was right.

When we pulled up in front of the Manosos' house, Maria burst out the door and rushed to the van. "Both of you left your cell phones here!" she shouted as we got out.

"I'm sorry, Mama," Carlos quickly responded. "I wasn't even thinking this morning."

"Stephanie, your Mother has been trying to reach you all day. You need to get home right away." My stomach dropped. Oh God, Grandpa!

"What's wrong, Mama? Did she say?"

Maria looked at Carlos, then at me and then back to Carlos. "She said her father was ill and that Stephanie needed to hurry home."

I felt my knees give out just as Carlos's arms wrapped around me to keep me from hitting the ground. "Steph, Babe, it'll be ok. Let's go inside so you can call home, and then I'll drive you back to Trenton."

I wasn't able to speak yet, so I only nodded my head in acquiescence. After calling the house line, my father's cell phone, and Val's, with no answer, I gave in and tried Joe Morelli. I assumed he would be with my sister, and hoped he would be able to answer.

"Lo," he greeted.

"Joe, it's Stephanie. Are you with my family?"

"Hi, Steph. Yeah, I'm at St. Francis in the waiting room. Val, your Mom, and Grandma Mazur are in the room with your Grandpa. Your dad stepped out for some fresh air. You back in Trenton yet?"

"No, Carlos and I just got back to Newark. What happened?"

"It looks like your Grandpa had a heart attack." I felt my knees buckle again, but thankfully Carlos was still holding me tightly.

"Is he gonna be ok?"

"They're still running some tests, but you should probably come on home."

"We'll be there as fast as we can get there. Thanks, Joe."

"Sure, Cupcake." Before I could tell him _not_ to call me "Cupcake", he had hung up.

"Carlos, my Grandpa had a heart attack. We need to get going."

"Come on, Babe, I'll drive."

We said our goodbyes to Maria and Ricardo, who had come into the kitchen while I spoke with Joe, and then left for Trenton. Carlos drove quickly but safely, and got us there in record time.

We found the cardiac unit and spotted Joe and Val in the waiting room.

"Oh, Steph! Thank God you're here," Val said as she rushed to me and threw her arms around my neck. My family doesn't hug, so I immediately realized how serious this was.

"How's Grandpa?" I asked, with Val's arms still around my neck.

"He's hanging in there, but Mom's a wreck!" I could only imagine how my mother was taking this. She didn't handle stressful situations very well.

"Can I see him?"

"He's in room 4008. The doctor came in when I left, and I think he's still there. I know Mom will be glad you're here."

As I walked down the hall toward Grandpa Mazur's room, Carlos squeezed my hand and gave me a quick kiss on my temple. I returned the squeeze as we reached Grandpa's room. I couldn't verbalize how much it meant to me that Carlos was with me, so I hoped he knew.

"Mr. Mazur, I would like you to reconsider the surgery. But even if you don't, your diet _has_ to change," the doctor was explaining as we entered the room. "I can send a nutritionist up in the morning to go over things with you."

"Thank you, Doctor," Grandma Mazur said. I don't think I've ever seen her look so pale, and she seemed to have aged ten years since yesterday. The doctor nodded and exited the room.

"Stephanie, I'm so glad you're home safely," my mom said as she gave me a big hug. A hug from my mom could only mean Grandpa's health problems were more serious than I realized.

"What surgery does Grandpa need to reconsider?"

"That quack thinks I need a quadruple bypass. I tried to tell him it wasn't that serious, but he wouldn't listen. He just don't know Harry Mazur!" Grandpa had always been somewhat oblivious to the state of his health. And his diet reflected that, unfortunately.

"Harry, let's talk about it later, ok?" Grandma soothed him. "How was New York, baby girl?"

"Devastating. But the Guardsmen and Red Cross seemed very grateful for the donated supplies."

"That was a good thing you did, sweetheart," Grandpa praised.

My dad was in the corner trying to follow the conversation, and he would occasionally squeeze my mom's hand to get her to turn and explain things to him. I didn't see a notepad, so I'm not sure how she was communicating, but he seemed to get the gist of what we were talking about, and rewarded me with a "Proud of you, Pumpkin." I returned his praise with my first genuine smile since early that morning.

We stayed and visited for another half hour or so until Grandpa started to droop, and then excused ourselves to head home. Val and Joe had already left to go relieve Mrs. Morelli of babysitting duty with Angie. As we stopped in front of my parents' house, Carlos pulled me across the front seat of the van into his lap.

"You ok, Babe?"

"I'm not sure." He buried his face in my neck and held me tightly as I fought to control my tears.

"I love you, Babe." He punctuated his statement with the most tender kiss he had ever given me. He held me tightly as he deepened the kiss, which continued until we both pulled away breathless. "I would give anything to take your pain away, Babe."

"I know you would. Thank you, Carlos. I love you!" After several more minutes of being lost in our thoughts, he got out of the van and pulled me out after him. We went into the house and sat together on the couch in the living room. The Christmas tree in the corner was beautifully decorated, with twinkling lights and all the ornaments that I remembered from my childhood. We held tightly to one another, watching the tree as it sparkled in the silence.

"When do you think you'll join?"

"I don't know, Babe. I should talk to my parents about it first, but soon, I think."

I was only able to nod in response. He held me in the darkness for a long time. My mind was whirling with thoughts of war and the chance that my friends might not make it home, that I might lose my Grandpa and possibly Carlos. As my eyes came back into focus on the Christmas tree, I realized this was _not_ going to be a very Merry Christmas.

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	43. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**My sincerest apologizes for the delay in posting. We having finished the actual moving process and have moved on to the unpacking part. I'm honestly hoping life has calmed down and that I'm back on track. I truly appreciate you sticking with me!**

_Previously:_

_I was only able to nod in response. He held me in the darkness for a long time. My mind was whirling with thoughts of war and the chance that my friends might not make it home, that I might lose my Grandpa and possibly Carlos. As my eyes came back into focus on the Christmas tree, I realized this was not going to be a very Merry Christmas. _

**Ch. 43**

**Stephanie's POV**

Grandpa Mazur arrived home from the hospital the next evening, despite the doctor's strong recommendation that he stay and have the operation immediately. Grandpa protested that he just wanted to spend Christmas at home with his family, and promised to think about the bypass surgery. Quadruple bypass surgery. The words seemed to swirl around in my head non-stop. A procedure that could save his life could also kill him.

And, on top of it all, Carlos was going to join the Army. He had stayed with me the night Grandpa was in the hospital, holding me tight all night long on my parents' couch. With little room to move, we were practically plastered to each other, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I loved the feel of his arms around me, and the thought of not having those comforting arms for an extended period of time was murder on my already delicate emotional state.

Grandpa insisted on a big Christmas Eve party, and my mother—never one to turn down the chance to host—pulled out all the stops. Maria, Ricardo, and all of Carlos' siblings came, as did Abuela Rosa. She was a tremendous comfort to Grandma, and I was so glad that Grandma had her as a friend. There were also at least a dozen of Grandma and Grandpa's old friends from the Burg there. Grandpa mostly stayed in the recliner in the living room, but he was able to carry on conversations with everyone around him, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself. Mom was in her element, making and serving a full feast. She had tables and chairs set up in every available empty spot in the house. The weather had taken a turn for the worse, so there was no way anyone would want to be outside. Well, no one except for Daddy and Ricardo, who spent some time in the garage enjoying the Cuban cigars Ricardo had brought. Carlos never left my side, and every time we had a moment of privacy his lips were on mine, and our arms were tightly wrapped around each other. Maria caught us kissing more than once, and the mixture of happiness and sadness in her eyes had me on the verge of tears.

Carlos had told his parents that he planned to join the Army right after the New Year. They were proud and devastated at the same time, and I knew exactly how they were feeling. He told them it was just something he felt he _had_ to do, but promised to stay in contact with them as much as possible. He was going to drive us back to Miami on January second, and then enlist. I wasn't sure if he would go right away or if it would be a few days, but either way, I knew my days with Carlos were limited, and I hated it. My Burg upbringing kept the fake smile plastered on my face throughout the party—ok, it was a real smile immediately following each of Carlos' kisses, but it didn't stay real. After everyone but the Manosos had left, I tried to help Mom and Maria clean up, but they shooed me away.

Abuela Rosa was in the living room with Grandma and Grandpa Mazur, Dad and Ricardo had escaped to the garage again, Val, Baby Angie and Joe had headed over to the Morelli's house, and Carlos' siblings were all sitting at the dining room table playing a card game, leaving just Carlos and me. After I was chased out of the kitchen, he took my hand and led me quietly up the stairs. I was back staying in my old bedroom because Val and Joe had decided life was too short to worry about what people thought, and had moved in together. There was no talk about marriage yet, but with the expectations instilled in us since birth, I knew it wasn't too far off.

Carlos quietly shut the door behind us, and led me directly to the bed. I was emotionally drained and physically exhausted, but I didn't want to go to sleep. I didn't want to waste one second of time with Carlos, and even though both of our families were just below us, I wanted him. Carlos was, of course, the voice of reason, and talked me out of fooling around. I settled for being held tightly and talking.

"Do you know where you'll go for basic?"

"I'm not positive, but I'm hoping Fort Benning."

"And will you go straight to AIT like Les?"

"I think that's pretty standard right now. From what I can tell, they used to get a week off, but that isn't happening these days. They have to push us through training as fast as possible so we can head over."

"And how long will your tour of duty be?"

"I don't know, Babe. Those are questions I'll have to ask when I sign up. But I _will_ stay in touch, I promise."

We were silent for a while before I brought up the next topic. "Do you remember Alex's wedding rehearsal?"

"Of course I do, Babe. I'm counting on having our own someday."

"So you still want a 'someday' with me?"

"I want _forever_ with you, Babe."

"Good to know." Thankfully, we stopped there. I wasn't prepared to tell him "no" if he asked me to marry him, even though the thought of getting married at 20 years old was terrifying. I knew I loved him, and if he asked, I probably would have said yes. I most likely would have gone through with a quick wedding and let him join the Army with me as his wife. But was that how I wanted to start our life together? No: I wanted a nice wedding, not too big and fancy, but beautiful…elegant. And then a reception where we celebrated with our family and all of our friends. Then at least a week-long honeymoon on a secluded beach somewhere. After that, I just wanted to be with him. To come home from work, from a job I loved, to the most gorgeous man I'd ever met, share dinner while talking about our day, and then spend the evening making love. And none of that would happen if he asked me to marry him now.

"Something burning, Babe?"

I smiled at his reference to me thinking a little too hard. "Just musing about how much I'm going to miss you, Batman."

"I'm going to miss you too, Stephanie. I love you."

"I love you too…more than you'll ever know."

A knock on the bedroom door brought us out of our reverie and back to reality. We took a second to be certain we were put together before I called whoever was knocking to come in.

"Hey Carlos, Mama and Papa are ready to head home. You ready?" Celia asked, peeping into the room.

I felt my face fall as Carlos gave her a nod. Our days together were limited, and this was another night we wouldn't get to spend together. We pulled ourselves up from the bed and headed down the stairs, hand in hand.

We were halfway down when Mom and Maria came out of the kitchen. Mom had her hand on Maria's shoulder, and Maria had obviously been crying. She wasn't a messy crier like I was, in that she wasn't all red and blotchy, but her eyes were somewhat red-rimmed, and the very tip of her nose had a pink tinge to it.

"Carlos, your mother and I were just talking in the kitchen, and you are welcome to stay the night here and spend Christmas morning with us. Then you and Stephanie can head into Newark for your family's Christmas celebration."

I know shock was written across my face. The last time Carlos had stayed overnight in my room was the first time we made love, and my parents found out. I didn't think he would be welcomed back until we were married.

"Helen?" my father asked, following Ricardo into the entryway. We all froze. Had he heard what she said?

"Frank?" my mom exclaimed, turning around to face my father. "Did you hear what I just said?"

The smile on my father's face was enough of an answer for me. I flew down the remaining stairs and ran to him, wrapping my arms around him, my Mom joining us in the hug. Was this some sort of Christmas miracle?

"Daddy?! How is this possible?"

"The doc said my hearing could come back at any time, but I had just about given up hope," my father replied, as stunned as Mom and I were. The Manosos all had smiles on their faces, sharing our excitement.

I stepped out of my parents' embrace and back into Carlos' welcoming arms.

"Frank, when did this happen?" Mom asked.

"Just now. I walked in from outside with Ricardo and felt a sort of pop in my ears. At first it was a low-level hum, when Ricardo said something to Celia. But when I walked in here, I heard you inviting Carlos to stay the night?"

"I can't believe it!" Mom said.

"I know, neither can I. Don't you think we should have discussed this?"

"Frank, we'll talk about that later; right now I'm just so happy you can hear again."

"Franky boy can hear again?" Grandma Mazur practically shouted coming into the entryway, where we had all gathered. "Great. Now, can you help Harry up the stairs? He's falling asleep on the sofa."

"I'll help him, Mrs. Mazur," Carlos volunteered, before kissing my temple and heading into the living room.

"Well, we should be going," Maria said, shooing her family out the door. "Have a very Merry Christmas, Helen. Frank." She gave me a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, and then scooted out the door behind her family. Daddy still had a baffled look on his face as first Grandma, and then Carlos and Grandpa, passed by us to head up the stairs.

"Stephanie," my mother started, "Maria told us about Carlos joining the Army. Why didn't you?"

I glanced at my father and then back at my mother, unable to say anything. Daddy had a look of pride and pity in his eyes, and I was fighting tears that had been trying to fall for days. Unable to speak, I just shrugged my shoulders.

"I know what it's like to have the man you love on the other side of the world, not knowing if he's going to come back to you," Mom continued. "But mine came back, and I will pray every day that yours does too. We are here for you, sweetheart." I was shocked. This was absolutely not the reaction I expected from my mom. "You and Carlos have a good night, and we'll see you in the morning. Val, Angie, and Joe should be here by eight, and I promised Maria I would have you on the road to Newark by 11 at the latest. So get some sleep."

"Helen," my father started, obviously as astounded as I was that my mother was basically giving permission for Carlos to share my bed.

"Not now, Frank." I had never heard my mom speak so matter-of-factly to my father. And judging by the look on his face, neither had he.

"Night, Pumpkin," my father mumbled, looking completely confused. I bit back a smile and whispered good night, then rushed up the stairs before Mom could change her mind.

I met Carlos as he was coming out of my grandparents' room. I grabbed his hand and dragged him into my room before quietly shutting the door.

"What's going on, Babe?"

"My mom just said you could stay here with me tonight."

His only response was a quirked eyebrow.

"I don't get it either, but I'm not going to question it."

He smiled at me and pulled me into his arms. "Believe me, Babe, I'm not going to question it either." His head leaned down and his lips met mine in a tender kiss. Just as the kiss started to deepen, there was a knock on the bedroom door. Crap!

Opening the door, my mother was on the other side with a slight blush on her cheeks.

"I thought Carlos would like something more comfortable to sleep in. He can use a pair of your father's lounge pants," she said, handing the gray pants to me.

"Thanks, Mom."

"Good night, Stephanie." I could tell she wanted to say more, but she didn't. Was she rethinking her decision, or was she silently begging me not to have sex in her house when I wasn't married? I wasn't sure, but I wasn't going to ask her.

I turned to Carlos and handed the pants to him with a smile. He never slept in pants. If he wore anything, it was boxers, but usually we slept naked. I certainly wasn't comfortable sleeping naked in my parents' house, but if that was what Carlos wanted, I wouldn't object.

He pulled his shirt over his head and my mouth went instantly dry. God, he was gorgeous! As I watched, he slowly unbuttoned his pants and slid the zipper down, before dropping them to the floor. I guessed he wouldn't be sleeping in boxers, as he wasn't wearing any.

My mouth was no longer dry: instead there was the threat of drool running down my chin at the sight of my incredibly buff boyfriend, who stood before me, naked.

"Carlos," I breathed as I walked toward him. He instantly wrapped me in his arms and we started kissing with unrestrained passion.

He helped remove my clothing before gently laying me back onto my bed. I wanted him inside me more than I ever had before. Whether it was the emotion and stress that had built up surrounding my grandpa's health scare, or coming to terms with us being separated for an extended time, I don't know—but I needed to feel him inside me, our hearts and souls joining again.

Carlos was incredibly gentle with me as we made love. He started slow, kissing me languidly, allowing me to feel all the love he had for me. Our hands traveled over each other's bodies, as if committing every inch of skin to memory. When he entered me, it took my breath away, and judging by his slight intake of breath, he felt the same way. As he moved inside me—our bodies meeting each other and then retreating, before coming back together—I have never felt more loved in my entire life. When we finally came together, I felt like something between us had shifted, cementing our relationship.

"Forever," Carlos whispered with unshed tears in his eyes, his forehead pressed against mine, our bodies still joined.

I gave a small nod and a soft smile before whispering back, "Forever."

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Tissues may be needed. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

_Previously:_

"_Forever," Carlos whispered with unshed tears in his eyes, his forehead pressed against mine, our bodies still joined._

_I gave a small nod and a soft smile before whispering back, "Forever." _

**Ch. 44**

We woke up Christmas morning to a blanket of perfect, white snow. It was early, and there was a slight chill in the air, but I was feeling very toasty cuddled up next to Carlos. I never thought I would be a "cuddler": I tend to sleep all over the place, and was certain when the time came for me to share a bed with someone, we would sleep as far apart as possible so as not to disturb each other. Suddenly I couldn't imagine anything _but_ cuddling. Of course, I couldn't imagine sharing a bed with anyone but Carlos, either!

When I extricated myself from his arms to go to the bathroom, I glanced back and smiled at Carlos' gloriously naked upper half. He was a stunningly good-looking man, and I was so lucky he was mine! I pulled my robe on and cinched it around me before quietly slipping out of the room. I performed my morning ablutions and then returned to my bedroom. Before getting back into bed, I went to the window to take in the perfection outside. I've always loved snow, especially fresh snow before it has a chance to get dirty, and looking at it always brings a sense of calm to me.

Staring out the window, lost in thought, I didn't hear Carlos wake or slip out of bed. When he pulled me back into the warmth of his chest, I jumped slightly. Talk about being unaware of my surroundings!

"Deep thoughts for so early in the morning, Babe. You ok?" Carlos asked, nuzzling my neck.

"Hmm. Just thinking about how much I'm going to miss waking up next to you every morning," I said, turning to give him a proper kiss. And that good morning kiss would have led us right back to the bed, if we hadn't heard Grandma Mazur and Dad fighting over the bathroom. I couldn't help but giggle at their antics. It's a good thing Grandma didn't live here—I could see that being a daily battle!

"Should we get ready and head down for breakfast?" Carlos asked, kissing up my neck and nibbling on my earlobe.

I was tempted to throw him down and enjoy _him_ for breakfast, but my stomach had other ideas. It let out a horrendous growl—a sound that compared to a brown bear getting woken from hibernation a month early—before I gave him a sheepish smile and nodded.

We admired each other's bodies as I got dressed in fresh clothing, and Carlos pulled on his outfit from the day before. Of course, since he hadn't been wearing any underwear, he didn't have to worry about not having a fresh pair. Once we were presentable, we slipped out of the bedroom to head downstairs. I would have to fix my hair and face once everyone had had a turn in the bathroom.

Downstairs, we were greeted by my mom bustling around the kitchen, and the smell of freshly made cinnamon rolls—one of my favorite Christmas morning traditions. Valerie was at the table, bouncing Angie on her knee and wearing a smile a mile wide.

"Morning, Steph, Carlos," Val greeted us before passing Angie to me and getting up to help Mom finish breakfast. Everyone knew I was a bit of a disaster in the kitchen, and while I had gotten better at cooking a few things, this was Christmas breakfast, and far too important for me to possibly mess up.

As I bounced Angie in my arms and smiled at her giggles, I couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be to have Carlos' baby one day. Before I could get too caught up in my hopes for the future, Joe came into the kitchen and took Angie from me to go and show her "the loot" under the tree. He really was very sweet with her.

Once breakfast was ready, we all gathered at the table to eat. I couldn't help but moan as I bit into my still-warm cinnamon roll—it was _so_ delicious! Breakfast conversation was minimal, except for the occasional grumble from Grandpa over his dry toast, or his "fake-ass eggs". I thought my Mom was going to pull something crossing herself after that one, and had to fight hard to suppress my giggle, especially after Carlos squeezed my knee.

Finally it was time to exchange gifts, and we all gathered around the tree. Angie got more gifts than one baby could possibly need—from toys, to clothing, to books, it was a hefty haul. I couldn't imagine how it would all fit into Joe's apartment. Val had mentioned how small it was, and that Angie's crib had to be in the dining room, but she was still happy to be sharing a roof with Joe.

When it was Val and Joe's turn to exchange gifts, they smiled at each other before announcing that their gift to each other was going to be new furniture. I wondered how Val could afford furniture without a job, but I bit my tongue and smiled at them. They went on to announce that Joe's Aunt Rose, who had passed away last summer, left her house to him in her will. A nephew on her late husband's side had disputed ownership of the house, and the final judgment was finally rendered the week before the Christmas holiday. The house now belonged to Joe, and they would be moving into it before the end of the month.

Val went on and on about the three bedrooms, and all the potential the kitchen had. She kept saying, "Only a few minor renovations." Again, I found myself wondering who was going to pay for it all. I didn't think cops made that much this early in their career. After Mom promised to help Val make curtains for all the windows, it was my turn to exchange gifts with Carlos.

I had found Carlos a new watch when we were still in Miami. It was a gorgeous black Seiko, with an extra large face and silver accents. I knew it would look amazing against his mocha latte skin, and I couldn't wait for him to try it on. Yesterday I had bought him another present, but decided to save it for the gift exchange at the Manosos.

Handing Carlos the beautifully wrapped box, I waited anxiously for him to open it. After carefully unwrapping it, he lifted the lid to reveal the watch. He stared at it for a moment, before gifting me with his 200-watt smile. "It's beautiful, Babe. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Your turn, Steph," Val prompted. Carlos hesitated, and then handed me a box similar to the one I had just given him. Inside the box was a beautiful white Seiko with an oversize face and diamond accents. I couldn't help but giggle: we had gotten each other nearly the same thing, only his was black and mine was white. I removed the watch from the box and slipped it on. The face nearly covered my entire wrist, and I loved it. It was unique and beautiful, and it was from Carlos!

We finished the gift exchange shortly after that, and Carlos and I got ready to leave for Newark. We had decided that I would stay with him and his family that night, and head back to Trenton the next morning. I had initially protested, saying his family deserved some alone time with him, but he silenced me immediately, saying he didn't want to spend any more nights without me in his arms than he had to. I had no argument with that.

Just before we left for Newark, Grandma and Grandpa called everyone into the living room for an announcement: Grandpa had decided to go ahead with the bypass surgery. The procedure was scheduled for 7AM on the 27th. I was thankful that Grandpa had changed his mind and was going through with the operation. Now I only had to pray that everything turned out all right.

The drive to Newark flew by in comfortable silence, as we held each other's hands and hoped that time would slow down just a little bit. When we pulled up to the house, we were greeted by Maria and Abuela Rosa standing on the porch. It's eerie how all mothers seem to possess this ability to detect when their offspring are close.

"Stephanie, Carlos, Merry Christmas!" Maria greeted us each with a kiss and hug, before pulling us out of the cold Christmas day and into the warm, inviting house.

"How is your Grandpa feeling today, mija?" Rosa asked.

"He seems all right, just tired. Grandma finally convinced him to go through with the surgery. He's scheduled for early morning the day after tomorrow. We're all relieved that he changed his mind."

"Come on, everyone, lunch is ready and then we'll open gifts," Maria said. "Stephanie, our family always goes to Mass on Christmas night. We'd love it if you'd join us, but please don't feel obligated."

"I'd love to. My family usually goes on Christmas Eve, but of course we didn't make it yesterday," I replied as we headed to the dining table. The meal was delightful, and was filled with light-hearted chatter, plus an occasional moan of appreciation from me. Once lunch was finished, I helped clean up the kitchen with Maria, Abuela Rosa, and Celia, before heading to the family room to open presents.

Carlos refused to let me sit anywhere but on his lap. Cuddled up in each other's arms, we watched everyone exchange gifts, enjoying the family time. I had decided not to give Carlos his other gift in front of his family. When everyone was finished opening their presents, the younger siblings ran off to play with their new electronics, and Maria and Ricardo disappeared into another room. Abuela Rosa announced she was going to rest before Mass, and I thought that was a fabulous idea: we had been up late the night before with the party, and up early for Christmas morning. A nap sounded wonderful. Reading my mind, as usual, Carlos took my hand and led me to the basement bedroom where we would be staying.

"Babe, I just want to hold you in my arms for a little while. Sound ok?"

"Sounds perfect, Carlos, but first I have something to give you." He gave me his best wolf-grin and I gave him a light punch on the arm, saying, "Not that!"

I went to my suitcase and pulled out a small, wrapped box. "Hey, you already gave me a present," Carlos protested.

"I know, but this is something I want you to have, and I would have gotten it for you even if it wasn't Christmas."

Carlos looked at me for a moment. "C'mon," I said, "open it". He unwrapped the box and lifted the lid, then stared at the medal inside for a long while, before his eyes finally met mine.

"It's a Saint Michael's medal. I checked at the store and they said that you would be able to add it to your dog tags." He didn't say anything, just kept staring at me. "Saint Michael was the field commander of the Army of God and he is the protector of those who fight to preserve security, safety, and peace."

Carlos continued to stare at me and I wondered if I had done something wrong. When I noticed a wet sheen to his eyes, I started to apologize. "I'm sorry, Carlos. I thought you would like it. I'm not the best Catholic, but if St. Michael could keep you safe, I wanted you to have it. I'm sorry if I've…"

His lips crashing down on mine halted my rambling. All coherent thought ended as our tongues dueled and our hands roamed. I was completely lost in a haze when he pulled back from the kiss. He gave me several gentle kisses on my lips, eyes, forehead, cheeks, and chin as I slowly returned to Earth.

"Babe, this is the best gift I've ever received in my entire life," he said, with an obvious lump in his throat.

"I just want you to be safe, Carlos. And if this medal could possibly help, then I wanted you to have it."

After another long, steamy kiss, he pulled away again and said, "Thank you".

"You're welcome. Hey, you never said much about your watch, did you like it?"

"I love it, Babe," he said, raising his wrist to show me how it looked on him.

"Did you notice anything special about it?" I asked, and received his lifted eyebrow in return.

I slipped the band open, and then turned the watch over in my hand so he could see what I was referring to. Inscribed on the back were the words, "_My Batman. Love, Babe_".

Carlos chuckled; he always found it funny when I called him Batman. "Babe," he said shaking his head.

"Carlos, like it or not, you'll always be my Batman. Plus, now you're earning the title by going off to save the world." We both sobered slightly at that.

"I'm coming back to you, Babe. I promise you, I'm coming back."

"I'm counting on it."

With that, we stopped talking and lay in each other's arms, languidly kissing, until it was time to get ready for church.

Attending Mass at Carlos' church was somewhat surreal. I'll admit, I hadn't been the best Catholic in Miami: other than Alex and Mari's wedding, I hadn't stepped inside a church since I left Trenton. And after years of going to St. Matthew's in Trenton, stepping into St. John's in Newark made me stutter-step. It was gorgeous. The way the chapel was dimly lit by the flickering candlelight put me in a solemn mood and ready for worship.

That night, after a delicious dinner provided by Maria and Abuela Rosa, Carlos and I retired early to the basement. We spent the night loving each other with everything we had. We made love late into the night, and I found myself once again fighting sleep, as it was time wasted when I could be loving Carlos.

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	45. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**TISSUE WARNING! **

**SMUT WARNING!**

_Previously:_

_That night, after a delicious dinner provided by Maria and Abuela Rosa, Carlos and I retired early to the basement. We spent the night loving each other with everything we had. We made love late into the night, and I found myself once again fighting sleep, as it was time wasted when I could be loving Carlos. _

**Ch. 45**

The morning of the surgery was hectic. The surgical waiting room was filled to near capacity with Grandpa's friends and family. Grandma and Abuela Rosa sat in the corner, silently praying the rosary. Mom was having trouble controlling her emotions, and sat off to the side crying into one of Daddy's handkerchiefs, while Dad paced the halls. Carlos and I sat close together, with him running a soothing hand up and down my arm. Val and Joe arrived late, followed by the rest of the Manoso family and a gaggle of Grandma and Grandpa's friends.

When Dr. Martin finally came to inform us of Grandpa's status, he took a stutter step at the size of the waiting crowd.

After clearing his throat, he made his way to stand in front of Grandma. "Mrs. Mazur, Harry is in recovery. He gave us a little scare in there, but seems to be doing really well right now. In an hour or so, we'll move him to the ICU for about 24 hours, to closely monitor his status. After that, he'll be in a room on the sixth floor until he's ready to go home."

"Do you know when that will be?" Grandma asked.

"It depends. Somewhere between five and seven days, depending on how he progresses," Dr. Martin answered.

"Dr. Martin," my Mom broke in, "Mother and Daddy live in Miami now. How long before they'll be able to travel home?"

"Even though Harry should get to leave the hospital soon, that doesn't mean he will be up for travel for quite some time—my best guess is at least three months. We'll monitor him, and if he heals well, then perhaps sooner."

With a nod from my mom, Dr. Martin turned to leave. Grandma stopped him in his tracks when she raised her voice and said, "Wait a minute there, Doc. When do I get to see him?"

Dr. Martin turned back and said with a smile, "You can peek in at him quickly, but he really shouldn't have guests in recovery. Even in ICU his visitors should be limited to one at a time for no longer than five minutes." Looking around the room he said, "And not everyone. Immediate family only."

When Grandma didn't ask anything else, he turned and left. Grandma stood, grabbing her purse and mumbled, "I wanna _watch_ them kick me outta his room," before heading out of the waiting room and down the hall.

Two hours later, Carlos and I were headed back to my parents' house. Everyone except our immediate family had left the hospital once Grandpa was moved to ICU, after promising to check in on him throughout the week. Mom suggested Carlos and I go home and get a little food and rest before coming back, as there was really nothing we could do there but sit in the waiting room.

Grandma had bullied her way into the recovery room and refused to leave. When she proclaimed that "Fifty years of marriage earned me more than just a peek to see if he's ok," the nurse backed off. Thankfully, it was Sandy Epstein, who had been in Val's class at Trenton High, so she already knew there was no changing Grandma's mind.

As we walked into my parents' house, Carlos took my hand and led me upstairs to my old room. "Come on, Babe. I just want to lie down and hold you for a while."

That sounded like the perfect invitation to me. Lying in Carlos' arms, after the morning we'd had, was near Heaven. There truly is nothing on Earth like the comfort of his arms. As soon as that thought came to me, my body tensed at the thought of losing that comfort all too soon. Never one to miss anything, Carlos squeezed me tighter before asking, "You ok, Babe?"

I nodded my head, unable to speak. I hated that my thoughts went there, when I should be more focused on my grandpa at the moment. But the truth was, the thought of losing Carlos was just overwhelming.

"What are you thinking about that has you so tense, Babe?" Carlos asked, obviously not accepting my nod that I was ok.

"Just wondering what I'm going to do without the comfort of your arms."

"Babe," he answered, placing small open-mouthed kisses down my neck, "it'll be ok."

"You don't know that, Carlos. You're going to war. How can you _know_ it will be ok?"

"Because I'll have you to come home to. Nothing can keep me from coming home." The look in his eyes as he leaned over me showed how much he meant what he was saying.

I decided I was done talking, and reached up to pull his face down to mine. Carlos quickly deepened the kiss before breaking away from my lips to kiss down my neck and across my collarbone. He continued further south, removing clothing as it got in his way. Before I knew it I was naked, and his head was buried between my thighs. I couldn't help the writhing of my body or the moans that escaped as he quickly brought me to orgasm, shouting out his name with my release.

Carlos slowly kissed his way back up, sending shivers through my body and heat back to my doo-dah. As his mouth reached mine and I tasted myself on his lips, I lost all control. He removed his shirt as I worked on getting his pants off.

The heat normally generated between Carlos and me when our bodies are joined could heat a mansion on the coldest day in Jersey. This time was no different. Carlos was taking his time, driving me slowly insane as he moved in and out of me. I had one foot wrapped around his waist while the other was pressed firmly on the bed, pushing me up to meet him, thrust for thrust, in an effort to hurry him along. When he moved my foot from the bed to resting just over his shoulder, all thoughts of a hurried pace were lost as he thrust deeper and deeper, forcing me higher and higher. Moments after he shouted out my name in release, an orgasm unlike any other wracked my body, shooting me into darkness.

I slowly came awake to the feeling of someone brushing a hand across my face, while another hand was stroking my hair. "Babe. Wake up, Babe," Carlos whispered softly, placing feather-light kisses down the other side of my face.

"Hmmm, what happened?" I asked as I became more aware of my surroundings, and the fact that it was still the middle of the day and we were both naked, in my bed, at my parents' house.

"You passed out."

"When?" I asked. If I didn't know better, I'd swear he blushed before he answered me softly.

"When you orgasmed."

"Wow!"

Carlos kissed me deeply, which made me ready to try and recreate that orgasm. "Babe, we should probably get something to eat and head back to the hospital."

That was all it took to completely shut down all thoughts of making love again. With a hard swallow, I nodded and stood up to get dressed. I didn't get very far before Carlos pulled me back to him and kissed me passionately again. "I love you, Stephanie." My eyes quickly caught his at the use of my full name. He practically never called me Stephanie—it was always either "Babe" or "Steph". Looking into his eyes, I saw the love pouring out of them.

"I love you, Carlos. Forever."

"Forever," he whispered, kissing me again, before turning to get up from the bed.

After a quick lunch, we prepared some sandwiches for my parents and Grandma, so they wouldn't have to eat hospital cafeteria food, and then we were on our way.

XXXXXXXXX

Grandpa did so well the first two days after his surgery. He was sitting up and even joked a little with Grandma about her being a worry-wart. Some old friends from the VFW hall came by and played a few games of cards with him, and the doctors said he might get to go home before the New Year. But the day before we were set to ring in 2002, everything changed.

Grandpa had developed a cough overnight, while all of the family was at home. He had finally convinced Grandma she needed to get a good night's sleep. He was feeling well, as long as he didn't try to move too much, and he assured her he would be fine while she went and rested. "Edna, I don't need you in a bed down the hall cause you didn't take care of yourself. Go to Helen's. Rest!"

So she did. When Mom and I took her back the next morning, Grandpa looked terrible. He was incredibly pale, with an oxygen mask over his face, and every time he coughed, he broke out into a sweat and his face scrunched up in pain. I'm sure coughing after open-heart surgery wouldn't feel too hot.

We had been there about twenty minutes when Dr. Martin came in to discuss how Grandpa was doing. "Mrs. Mazur, he's developed pneumonia. It came on quickly and it's serious. We're giving him IV antibiotics to fight it, but I must warn you, his immune system is already weak."

"What does that mean?" my mom asked.

"It's still too early to tell. We put him on oxygen immediately and we will fight this as aggressively as possible. Try to keep the faith," he said, before marking a few things on the chart and leaving the room.

Grandma pulled a chair to the side of the bed and pulled out her rosary, praying and running the beads through the fingers on her right hand as she held Grandpa's hand with her left. Grandpa would drift in and out between coughing fits. Mom sat in a chair in the corner, watching her parents with tears in her eyes. I stood more still than I ever had in my life and watched the scene before me. I couldn't believe this was happening.

Dad, Val, Joe, and Carlos arrived shortly after Dr. Martin left the room, and I immediately rushed to Carlos' arms. With every ounce of energy I possessed, I held back my tears as I buried my face in his neck.

When Mom saw my dad, she broke down, crying hysterically. "Helen, Helen, what's wrong?" Dad asked. With a glance at Grandma, whose eyes were riveted on Grandpa, he led Mom out into the hallway.

"Stephanie, what's going on?" Val whispered.

"Grandpa has pneumonia and the doctors are worried that his already weak immune system may not be able to fight it off," I whispered back.

Val's face went pale as Joe pulled her into his arms. Carlos held me tight as we watched my Grandma fighting her own emotions, while praying and staring at her husband. When Mom and Dad came back in the room, we gathered around Grandpa, each of us lost in our own silence.

XXXXXXX

Grandpa fought hard and held on for two more days. He died on January 1, 2002, of complications from pneumonia. Through it all Grandma remained stoic, and didn't break down until he took his last breath.

Mom had called in our parish priest to administer The Last Rites to Grandpa, and he was a great comfort to us. Father John, along with our whole family, was with him when he died. It was the saddest thing I had ever experienced. Abuela Rosa met us at the house when we took Grandma back home, and the two of them sat locked in Grandma's room together for hours. I was so grateful that Grandma had such a good friend.

Mom cried for about fours hours straight, then got herself together and went into planning mode. She contacted the VFW and asked them to be present at Grandpa's service: he had served in WWII and deserved a military funeral. Once it was all organized, she went and locked herself in her own bedroom. We didn't see her until the next day.

Grandpa's funeral was beautiful. It was open casket—Grandma wouldn't have it any other way—and just before the service, all the members of the local VFW formed a line and saluted Grandpa. I fought back tears during that, and even Carlos' eyes had a wet sheen as he gripped my hand tightly.

When we moved graveside, I couldn't help but break down. Carlos held me in his arms both as comfort and in an effort to keep me warm against the freezing air. I completely lost it when they played Taps, followed by a 21-gun salute. I probably ruined his dress shirt with my tears and snot, but he never let go of me.

Carlos and I drove back to Miami three days later. I had already missed some softball practice, and it was time. Abuela Rosa was going to stay another week with Grandma, and then they were going to fly home to Miami together. On the drive home, Carlos said he was going to wait to enlist until just before the semester started. He wanted a few more weeks with me, and I certainly wasn't going to complain.

I was incredibly grateful for those last few weeks! They were magical. Carlos held me as often as possible, telling me how much he loved me. He watched my softball practices and drove me to and from work every day, and we made love more times than I could count. When the morning of January 20th arrived, I woke up praying that somehow the war had magically ended overnight. However, looking into Carlos' warm, chocolate eyes staring solemnly at me, I knew that hadn't happened.

Without saying a word, he kissed me with such passion and love that it took my breath away. We made love slowly, our tears mixing together as we kissed. When we climaxed together, I choked on a sob, causing Carlos to roll over and pull me onto his chest. We stayed connected, holding each other tightly and crying, until it was time for us to get moving.

We showered together, taking our time, each of us washing the other. Carlos shampooed and conditioned my hair while kissing me. It was the most erotic and loving thing I had ever experienced. As tempted as we both were to just go back to the bedroom and lock ourselves in for the rest of our lives, we knew that we couldn't. I drove Carlos to the airport, his hand firmly on my thigh the entire time. I parked my Jeep and heaved a sigh before walking him into the terminal. He checked his duffel and got his boarding pass before we headed toward the security checkpoint. I desperately wanted to wait at the gate with him, but knew that since 9/11 that wasn't allowed.

After several minutes of soft, loving kisses, I released him and gave him a nudge toward the gate. "Go save the world, Batman."

He offered a soft "Babe" before giving me one last kiss and then heading through security. He turned and gave a final wave goodbye before he turned the corner out of sight toward his gate. I made it all the way back to the car without breaking down. It wasn't until I found a letter on the driver's seat that I lost it. On the envelope, it said "FOREVER".

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. I try very hard to reply to you all, but if I missed you, know that I read and re-read every review and can't thank you enough! You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**Tissues may be needed.**

_Previously:_

_He offered a soft "Babe" before giving me one last kiss and then heading through security. He turned and gave one last wave goodbye before he turned the corner out of sight toward his gate. I made it all the way back to the car without breaking down. It wasn't until I found a letter in the driver's seat from Carlos that I lost it. On the envelope, it said "FOREVER". _

**Ch. 46**

**Carlos' POV**

As my plane reached its cruising altitude, I settled back into my seat, closed my eyes, and thought about everything that had happened over the last few weeks.

My family had organized a make-shift going away party the night before we headed back to Miami. Friends I had grown up with, my entire extended family, and even the Plums were there. I was surprised at how well Mrs. Plum seemed to be doing, considering that only the day before she hadn't been able to keep from crying for more than five minutes at a time.

It was a nice party. Even Mari and Alex had flown back up to Newark for it. Mari was looking very pregnant, and the family engaged her in hours of "baby" talk. They had decided on a name, Benjamin Eduardo Santos, and said they had told Les in a letter. Alex mentioned that Lester had registered them in a support organization for soldiers' family members called Family Readiness Group, which gave them frequent updates about Lester. He promised to pass those updates along to the rest of the family as he received them. I knew right away that I would look into how my Babe could be a part of that group.

It wasn't easy saying goodbye the next day, especially when Mama broke down crying, but hearing them all say over and over again how proud of me they were made it a little easier.

The last few weeks spent in Miami with Steph were amazing. I could easily imagine the two of us married: each of us spending the day in our respective offices, coming home to have dinner together, spending the nights making love, and sleeping in the comfort of each other's arms. Yes, that was definitely the future I wanted, but this was something I had to do first.

We had dinner with Bridget, Alex, and Mari two nights before my scheduled departure. We kept it short, as I _needed_ to get Steph back to the apartment and enjoy the little bit of alone time we had left. Bridget hadn't been around the apartment much since she got back to Miami from her Christmas visit to Kentucky. Steph had talked to her several times, and had told me about how hard a time she'd had over the holidays without Lester. I imagined my Babe would feel the same way next year, and it was killing me.

All too soon, we were saying goodbye at the airport. Leaving my family had been hard, but compared to leaving my Babe, it was a walk in the park. As I rounded the corner out of Steph's sight, I had to sit down for a moment. There I was, getting ready to go train to be a badass and serve our country, and I had to fight to keep my emotions in check. I guess it was a good thing Lester wasn't there—he would never have let me live that down.

I thought back to earlier that week when I had bumped into Julio and his brother Hector. I had gone for a run while Steph was at work, and I found myself near the place where she had been attacked. If Julio and Hector hadn't stopped Aaron, who knows what might have happened to my Babe?

As I was pondering that, I had turned a corner and nearly plowed them down. Julio's face lit up when he recognized me, and he started firing off questions about Lester and Stephanie. I told him all about Les's deployment, updated him on Steph, and then announced my own news about joining the Army. I was able to catch Hector's eye when I mentioned that I would be leaving, and hoped he remembered our conversation about watching over Stephanie. Hector gave me a tiny nod, confirming that he would protect what was mine. His acknowledgment made leaving just slightly more bearable.

**Stephanie's POV**

_My Dear Babe,_

_I love you. More than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. I hope you know how hard it was for me to decide to do this, knowing I would be leaving you behind. It means more than I can say to have your support and to know that you'll be waiting when I get back. Dios, I hope you'll still be waiting. You are the light that I didn't know my life was missing, and I wouldn't give back our last year together for anything. Even though the things that happened during that year are the reason I'm leaving now, it also brought me you!_

_I can't even begin to tell you what these last few weeks have meant to me. If these have been a glimpse of a future we could have together, I will happily take that future. You are so talented, Babe, in so many ways. I hope that while I'm gone you will follow your dreams and continue to grow into an even more amazing woman than you already are._

_Please write to me and tell me all about…everything. I love you, Babe. I promise I will come back to you and we will have all the things that we talked about having someday. _

_Forever!_

_Carlos_

I read and re-read his letter, until the paper became so fragile from folding and refolding that I had to put it away, in fear that it would disintegrate. Every time I read it, I recalled all the things we talked about having "someday", and it filled me with hope for a future with that amazing man.

Carlos had only been gone a week, and I was already missing him terribly. To go from spending every day together and every night in his arms, to not seeing him at all, was very tough. I had been going through the motions, but nothing more. Each day I went to class, softball practice, and work, before going home, collapsing in a heap on the bed, and crying myself to sleep. It was a horrible first week, but when I received my first letter from Carlos, I felt like things were looking up.

Then the second week without him began. When I finally checked my voicemail after a week of ignoring everyone and everything I could, there were several calls from the Miami District Attorney's office. They were letting me know that the DNA results from nearly a year ago were _finally_ back, and they matched Aaron. There was a warrant out for his arrest, but so far the police hadn't had any luck in bringing him in. I was warned to watch my back, and to call the police immediately if I spotted him.

Being as optimistic as possible, I chose to believe that Aaron had taken his Daddy's money and disappeared to a deserted island, never to be seen or heard from again. I'm not sure what I was thinking; denial had never worked very well for me. Only two days after I listened to the voicemails from the DA, Aaron found me.

I had left work later than normal that Thursday afternoon, and desperately needed to go to the grocery store. Since Carlos had been gone, I found I needed a little more sugar than normal to keep myself in balance, and I was out of just about everything sweet. Normally, Bridget and I would go to the store together, but she had a night class on Thursdays, and since I was already out, I went alone.

I had just finished loading my car with grocery bags filled with ice cream and Twinkies—what can I say, they don't carry Tastykakes in Miami—when someone grabbed me from behind and clamped his hand over my mouth.

"I'm going to finish what I started, bitch!"

I struggled and kicked and tried to remember anything I could from the self-defense classes I took after being attacked before, but I was panicked. There was no doubt in my mind whose hands were on me, dragging me to God knows where. I could hardly breathe from the fear of what he would do when he got me alone, when I felt an impact and fell to the ground. I was able to turn my head enough to see an unconscious Aaron on top of me, and I screamed as loud as I could.

"Bonita, silencio. Esta bien," I heard over my shoulder, but I kept screaming for several more seconds before I was able to get control of myself. While I hadn't understood everything he said, "silencio" seemed pretty clear, and I was pretty sure "bien" meant "good" or "ok".

Aaron was dragged off me, and strong hands pulled me up. The guy staring back at me was a couple of inches taller than me, and normally would have scared the crap out of me with his hard, dark eyes and the teardrop tattoo on his face, but he had just saved my life, so I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Gracias," I said lamely. Before I could attempt to say anything else in my limited Spanish, I saw a boy running toward us. I couldn't help cowering behind my rescuer, who turned quickly in a defensive stance, before straightening and relaxing immediately. I hoped that was a good sign.

The boy spouted rapid-fire Spanish, and the guy who saved me responded just as fast. It wasn't until I took a step around my savior that I realized who the boy was. "Julio!" I shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"Stephanie?! Are you ok?"

"I am now, thanks to him," I said, pointing to the guy watching us intently.

"This is my brother Hector," he answered. Realization dawned on me—this was the guy who helped save me before. In my terror, I hadn't even recognized him!

I wanted to say thank you, but before I had a chance, police cars raced into the lot and when I turned around, he had disappeared. Julio stayed with me while I gave my statement to the police. I didn't mention Hector, and instead said only that someone saved me but I hadn't seen who it was. I remembered Julio telling me of his brother's trouble with gangs and the police, and didn't want to cause him any problems—especially after he had helped me once again. Aaron was hauled away and I was finally able to leave. It wasn't until I got home and pulled the dripping bags out of my car that I remembered I had bought ice cream. Crap!

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Carlos had been gone only eight weeks, and they were already the longest eight weeks of my life. For the first few days after Aaron attacked me again, I was afraid to sleep alone, and made Bridget stay in my room with me. Perhaps it was an irrational fear—Aaron was locked up—but I couldn't shake the feeling of his hands on me. When the DA confirmed that Aaron would be going to prison for a very long time, and that thanks to the DNA evidence it wasn't likely that I would need to testify, my mind relaxed enough that I was able to sleep alone again. Even though I now _hated_ sleeping alone!

Carlos and I wrote each other practically daily, and every time one of his letters arrived I devoured it. Even the short ones made the separation tolerable—sort of. He seemed to be doing well. A lot of the other recruits had also joined because of 9/11, and Carlos commented on how they were all anxious to get overseas and fight for our country.

My softball team was having an amazing season, and we stood undefeated. All the sports channels were saying we would be the team to beat in the College World Series. I hoped they were right; I only wished that Carlos could be there to see us play.

Work—what little I had time for as the softball season progressed—was also going amazingly well. Donna had become like a mother figure to me, only way cooler and less irritating than my mom. Donna had been married "once, a long time ago" and never had children. She didn't like to talk about Allen—the husband—much, but I did notice she would get a little teary-eyed whenever she mentioned him. I decided not to pry. She brought me in on several of her most lucrative accounts, and our ideas seemed to complement each other well, which in turn earned us several more referrals. She also listened whenever I needed to talk about Carlos, and offered an endless supply of tissues whenever needed. Bridget was doing very well with Donna's company as well. She worked very closely with Mark, one of the upper-level designers, and they also seemed to make their clients very happy. I was certain this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and I think Bridget felt the same way.

Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa had truly become two peas in a pod. They spent all their free time together, and were often "out on the town" when I spoke with one of them. Grandma still had many hard days where she mourned Grandpa, but Abuela Rosa was always there to be supportive. After all, Abuela Rosa had also lost a husband she dearly loved. If anyone could empathize, it was her.

Carlos' graduation from Basic was the following Saturday, and I made the trip to Fort Benning alone. Abuela Rosa had unfortunately come down with a spring cold and felt too poorly to travel. Grandma Mazur offered to ride up with me, but I asked her to stay with Rosa instead. Maria and Ricardo desperately wanted to attend the graduation ceremony, but felt they needed to stay in Newark. Celia's boyfriend was physically abusing her, and they were going to help her find a new apartment and file a restraining order against him. I knew Carlos would understand their absence—if he'd been there, I suspect the guy would have had a much more serious problem than a restraining order!

Watching Carlos on stage was even more amazing than it had been with Lester. I was so proud of him. He looked incredibly handsome with his short buzz cut, though I was sad at the loss of his gorgeous, longer locks. He was even more toned and muscular than when he left, which I hadn't thought possible. When his eyes locked on mine, I thought I would melt right in my seat. God I had missed him!

After the ceremony, he was given the rest of the day off before he had to report to AIT the following morning. When he was released, he rushed to me and pulled me into those strong arms that I had missed so much. I lost track of how long I was locked in his embrace before he finally pulled away, mumbling about getting his bag and leaving. Judging by the feral look in his eyes, he wanted to spend his free time the same way I did.

Less than thirty minutes later, we were in my hotel room, naked. Our first coupling was rushed, and filled with overwhelming need. As we lay wrapped in a tangled mess of arms and legs, Carlos looked at me with his smoldering chocolate eyes and said, "I missed you so much, Babe."

"I missed you too, Carlos. More than you'll ever know," I said, before pulling his face back to mine for a kiss. That kiss led to the most passionate love-making session we'd ever had. It was hard for me to understand how each time it was better and more love-filled than the last, but it was. It made me think about that cheesy line from that Tom Cruise movie, _Jerry Maguire_. Carlos completed me, there was no other explanation. We weren't whole without the other.

We made love three times before calling to order a pizza. I wasn't spending any time with Carlos that required clothes, and thankfully the pizzeria delivered. Carlos pulled on pants long enough to open the door and pay before stripping down again and joining me back in the bed.

We sat and talked while we ate. "So, Babe, is there anything interesting that's happened that you didn't write me about?" Carlos started. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. I hadn't told him about Aaron because I didn't want to get him upset while he was in training. He could tell immediately that something was wrong. "Babe? What happened?"

"Well, about two weeks after you left, I ran into Aaron again."

"Ran into him?" Carlos asked with a blank expression that I had never seen before. I wasn't sure what that face meant, but it made me nervous.

"Well, yes, sort of. I went grocery shopping one evening, and as I was loading the groceries into the car, he grabbed me from behind." If it was possible, the look on Carlos' face became even blanker, but he was radiating fury. "Remember Julio? He and his brother, Hector, just happened to be there, and they saved me again. Can you believe that? Anyway, the DNA results came back and proved Aaron had attacked the other girls, so he's in prison now and will be there for a very long time." When I finished, some of Carlos' blank mask melted away and he seemed slightly more relaxed.

"Did he hurt you?"

"No. Hector stopped him before he was able to do anything. I'm fine, Carlos. I'm right here." That seemed to reduce his rage, although with the way he attacked my mouth seconds later, I couldn't be sure.

We started out fast and furious again, as if Carlos needed to reassure himself that I was truly all right. But after pushing me over the edge the first time, he slowed down, causing me to orgasm twice more before reaching his own release. We made love more times than I could count that night, and each time was more passionate and loving than the time before. Before the first signs of daylight started to peek through the windows, the tears began to fall from my eyes. He had to leave…again.

It was four in the morning and he had to report back to base by five. We didn't have time to make love another time, but he held me in his arms and reassured me how much he loved me. He whispered all the things he wanted in our "someday" that he had promised in his letter. The tears fell harder with each promise, and he wiped and kissed them away as they ran down my cheeks. All too soon it was time to leave. We quickly dressed, left the comfort of the hotel room, and headed back to base. With another long, steamy kiss goodbye, Carlos grabbed his bag and ran through the gates of Fort Benning. I headed back to the hotel and spent the day remembering in vivid detail the events of the last day, before finally succumbing to sleep.

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	47. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**For those of you who have been hinting about me picking up the pace of the story, I want to say that there will certainly be time periods that will be compressed. But I always meant for this AU story to be a long family saga, exploring the lives of a multitude of characters, and to do that well takes time and a lot of words. So I hope you will just enjoy the way the story unfolds, and savor each chapter until the story is finished.**

**In the meantime, a huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviewers, I really appreciate your support; thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**Tissues may be needed.**

_Previously:_

_It was four in the morning and he had to report back to base by five. We didn't have time to make love another time, but he did hold me in his arms and reassured me how much he loved me. He whispered his love and all the things he wanted in our someday that he promised in his letter. The tears fell harder with each promise, and he wiped and kissed them away as they ran down my cheeks. Ultimately, the time to leave came, and we quickly dressed and left the comfort of the hotel room and headed back to base. With another long, steamy kiss goodbye, Carlos grabbed his bag and ran through the gates of Ft. Benning. I headed back to the hotel and spent the day remembering in vivid detail the events of the last several hours before finally succumbing to sleep. _

**Ch. 47**

July 1st could not arrive fast enough! As busy as I was, I was still counting down the days until Carlos and I would have a whole week to spend together before he was deployed. I planned to take the week off from work; school would be out for the summer, and all I wanted to do was spend the entire time in bed with the man who occupied my dreams on a nightly basis. God, I missed sex! Judging from the letters that Carlos had sent from AIT, he had the same plan in mind.

_Babe,_

_AIT is nothing like Basic. It's far more intense, and each day it becomes more of a reality that we're preparing for war. And as scary as that thought is, so many of us are ready for it. We're ready to defend our country against the people that attacked us. _

_The higher-ups tell me that I'm doing very well, and would like me to think about Ranger school, but I'm not interested in that yet. I want to serve first. I want to get over there and have Les's back, even if only in my mind. The chance that we will be anywhere near each other is small, but knowing that I'm over there fighting "with" him helps to push me when I'm feeling the effects of training for hours on end._

_Knowing that soon I'll have an entire week with you keeps me going too. I spend my downtime thinking of all the things I want to do to you. Dios, I miss you! Promise me it can be just us for as much time as possible, Babe? I'm desperate for as much time alone with you as I can get. _

_Do you know if my family will be making a trip down for my break? How is baby Benji? In the last picture that Alex and Mari sent, he looked so different from the first one. I imagine he changes daily. Do you get to see them much? I hope you're able to spend time with them. _

_Did I tell you about Pierre, that guy that was giving me flak for the first few weeks? The dude's as big as a tank and mean as a snake. I knew he was trying to intimidate me, and I wasn't going to let him get away with it, so I took him down. It was a little ridiculous how easy it was. After our sparring match, he even thanked me. Said he was scared as hell, was doing his damnedest not to show it, and in turn was coming off as a huge ass to the people that were going to have his back. He's been my best friend here ever since. _

_I've told him a little about you, and he constantly reminds me what a lucky SOB I am. He's right, you know? I'm the luckiest SOB on the face of the Earth because I have you at home supporting me and loving me. I adore you, Babe. I'm one step closer to seeing you, and then I'll be one step closer to coming home to you for good._

_I can't wait to see you, Steph. _

_Forever,_

_Carlos_

I was so glad that Carlos had made friends with Pierre. The last time he mentioned him, the guy sounded like a huge jerk, and I had been a little worried, especially if he was really as big as a tank. Knowing that he went down easily made me laugh, even though I wasn't surprised—Carlos could be pretty scary when he needed to be!

That letter arrived just before the softball College World Series. I couldn't believe the season we'd had! We went into the tournament undefeated. I'm not sure any team had ever done that before. I had a great pitching record that season, and we were anxious to win it all. Bridget, who "needed a distraction", became our team manager. She traveled with us, handled the washing of all the uniforms, hauled equipment, and was our very enthusiastic cheerleader. Plus the job came with a stipend, which helped her financially.

I loved seeing her so often, and she loved that she had something to help keep her mind off of Les. Although I can't deny that we still spent many nights on the couch watching chick flicks, gorging ourselves on Ben and Jerry's, and crying our eyes out. But they probably would have happened more often if we didn't have each other to lean on.

The only thing that would have made making it to the College World Series better would have been if Carlos was there to watch and celebrate with me. Even without Carlos, I did have a very large cheering section: my parents, the Manoso family, Alex and Mari with baby Benji, Grandma Mazur, and Abuela Rosa were all there. When I pitched the last strikeout of the game, clinching the championship, I immediately started crying. I'd kept my concentration the entire game—I'd even had a single and two doubles—but the first second I didn't have to keep my focus, I lost it. I wanted Carlos there. I wanted to hear him say how proud of me he was, and I wanted celebratory sex for days on end. I heard words of praise from everyone—my friends and family, my teammates, my coach…it just wasn't the same.

That night, it took every ounce of strength I possessed not to get in the car and drive straight to Fort Benning and beat on the gates until they let me see Carlos. God, but I missed him! How was I going to survive when he was overseas? I wouldn't see him for at least a year…a YEAR! So much can happen in a year. I'd only known Carlos for barely a year, and now we were going to be separated for longer than we'd known each other. It wasn't fair. I just wanted him to hold me. I cried myself to sleep that night, and for several nights after.

XXXXXXXXX

**Carlos' POV**

I could hardly wait—I was going to see my Babe! Ok, so I was graduating from AIT, and in a week's time would be shipped to Afghanistan to fight in a war that was escalating daily. But at least I would get to hold her and kiss her and tell her how much I missed her and how proud I was of her for doing so amazingly well in softball this year. And I'd get to make love to her. Oh, Madre de Dios, how I missed making love to her, and waking up with her in my arms, and then making love to her again.

I'll never forget the pictures that Frank and Helen Plum sent me, with a letter telling me about Stephanie's last game of the College World Series. She'd had such a fantastic season, which she'd told me about in her frequent letters. With all that she had going on, I was surprised I had received a letter from her almost daily. She explained that she would write to me in bed each night, so she could tell me about her day. I loved thinking of her in our bed, writing me a letter about all the amazing things she had done that day, her triumphs with her spring semester classes, and then snuggling under the covers and dreaming about me. I dreamt about her…every night. Sometimes I woke up just before I embarrassed myself, and other times just after.

The letter from the Plums nearly broke me. I was glad that everyone else was sleeping as I read it. They talked about how proud they were of her, and how she'd had this incredible focus, a focus they had never seen before. Once the game ended, she broke down in what they had assumed were happy tears, while her team jumped and celebrated around her. However, the pictures they included showed a different story: those weren't happy tears. I had seen her happy tears before. The picture showed her on her knees on the pitching mound, lifting her face out of her hands. The look on her face, while not overtly sad, showed the depth of her pain. It tore me apart to think that my absence was the reason for those tears, but I knew it was. I hated that I had missed such an important event in her life, and was depressed that I would undoubtedly miss many more. My eyes smarted as I stared at her picture, her beautiful face looking broken-hearted.

I couldn't wait for graduation!

**Steph's POV**

July 1st finally arrived, and I was practically vibrating with excitement over seeing Carlos. I was surrounded by his family—and, surprisingly, mine too—as I anxiously waited for the graduation ceremony to begin. Mom, Dad, Val, Joe, and Angie had come down for his ceremony. They wanted to visit Grandma Mazur again, and had decided to drive via Fort Benning, even though it was out of their way. I was so grateful for the support my family was showing Carlos.

When the ceremony began, my mother took the seat beside me and grabbed my hands. I hadn't even realized I had been wringing them constantly. "You should be very proud of him, Stephanie. He's doing such a courageous thing," she told me in a barely audible whisper.

"I _am_ very proud of him, Mom," I replied, barely holding back the sob that was trying to escape my throat.

When Carlos and I locked eyes across the room, it was like no one else existed. He was even more gorgeous in his Army uniform, his dark eyes piercing mine. I kept thinking the General, or whoever it was that was talking, needed to talk faster, because I needed to be in Carlos' arms. When the ceremony finally concluded, I swear time stood still as we moved toward each other. As he pulled me into his embrace, I forgot about all the other people in the room and melted into him, burying my face into his chest as I tried desperately not to cry.

"We're so proud of you, mijo," Maria said as she leaned around me to kiss Carlos' cheek. I started to move out of his arms so the rest of his family could greet him, but his grip on me tightened. He did allow me to move slightly to one side, so he could hug his family with his free arm, but he never took his other arm off of me.

"Brave thing you're doing, son. I for one appreciate it," my dad said, emotion clogging his throat. He no doubt knew that Carlos had enlisted because of the events on 9/11, a tragedy that nearly cost my father his life.

"Just doing what I can, sir," Carlos responded, shaking his hand.

"Babe, walk with me to grab my bag?"

"Of course. I have my car, so we can just meet you all at the restaurant," I told our families, hoping they would get the hint that I wanted a moment alone with Carlos.

"Sure thing, Pumpkin," Dad said, catching on. "Take your time, there will probably be a wait."

I smiled at my Dad and took Carlos' hand as we walked out of the hall. When we got back to the bunkrooms, he grabbed his bag before turning and leading me toward the parking lot. I had hoped for a kiss, but didn't want to show my disappointment. The thought had barely crossed my mind before Carlos whispered in my ear, "Babe, if I had kissed you in there, I probably would have thrown you on the bed and had my way with you, no matter how many people were in the room."

I felt a blush creeping up my neck. In truth, I probably wouldn't have cared how many people were in the room either, I just wanted to feel connected to Carlos. We climbed into my Jeep, but before I could even buckle my seatbelt, Carlos pulled my face to his and took my lips with a fierceness that made me dizzy. Lost in the kiss, I wanted to climb inside of him, and without even realizing it, I climbed into his lap. The skirt I had worn crept up my thighs until the only thing separating us from what I desperately wanted was a thin scrap of my panties and Carlos' pants. I knew from experience that he probably wasn't wearing underwear. In an uncharacteristically brave move on my part, I lifted my hips and unzipped his dress pants. "Yep, just as I suspected, no underwear," I thought, as I removed his throbbing cock from the confines of his pants. Kissing him deeply, I slid my panties to the side and slowly guided him inside my dripping wet center.

"Mmmmm," I moaned loudly as he filled me. I stilled myself for a moment as my body adjusted to his size.

"Christ, Babe," Carlos growled in my ear as I started rocking my hips into him.

The fact that we were having sex in the middle of the parking lot outside Fort Benning didn't even register, as his hips lifted to meet mine thrust for thrust. It only took a few minutes before my body tightened around him and I was throwing my head back, screaming out my release while Carlos spilled inside of me and growled "Babe" into my chest. We held each other tightly as our breathing returned to normal, Carlos planting kisses along my neck with each exhale of his breath.

"God, I've missed you," I whispered.

"I've missed you too, Babe. More than I can say."

As I gathered my wits and realized where we were, I became mortified. There didn't appear to be anyone around who could have witnessed my utter lack of control, but that didn't keep the blush off my neck and cheeks.

"You make me lose all control, Babe."

"Same here, soldier." It was the first time I called him "soldier". Usually I referred to him as Batman, but this time it was different. He truly was a soldier now. My soldier. I quickly cleaned myself up and climbed back into the driver's seat. Carlos looked down at the mess on his pants and gave me his ever verbose "Babe" before he pulled a pair of cargos out of his bag and quickly changed. I groaned as I got a quick glimpse of his perfect ass as he wiggled into the clean pants and then again when he quickly changed to a more comfortable shirt. I couldn't wait to get him back to Miami and have my way with him.

XXXXXXXXXX

The week went quickly, and all too soon the date of Carlos' departure was upon us. I was a bundle of emotions, and was nearing exhaustion from fighting off tears for the previous 24 hours. Ok, the exhaustion could have been related to the fact that I had only slept an hour at a time for the past few days, as Carlos ravaged my body every second he got. But I wasn't complaining. I was going to have to go at least a year without him in my arms and in my bed, so I wanted to ravage his body as much as he wanted to ravage mine.

Carlos' family stayed in Miami for the entire week. The kids were off from school and his father had plenty of vacation, so they chose to spend that time with their eldest son before he had to leave. My parents were around too, although I hadn't seen much of them except for the two nights we all had dinner together. The first occurred the day after we arrived back home in Miami. Abuela Rosa wanted to give Carlos a full Cuban meal, and spent almost the whole day cooking with Maria. Carlos was a great grandson and praised every dish his Abuela made. I was proud of my mother for trying a little of everything on the table and never once complaining about the missing potatoes and gravy.

The second get-together was when Val gave Angie an early birthday party. She was nearly a year old and toddling around everywhere. She was also clearly a smart girl, as she toddled over and climbed into Carlos' arms at every opportunity. I might have been jealous, if his carrying her around wasn't so adorable. The party was nice, and even though everyone only had a day's notice, there was still a healthy pile of gifts for my precious niece. Joe acted like such a proud Papa helping Angie open her gifts, and I found myself thinking how happy I was for my sister that she had Joe as part of her life.

When the party ended, Carlos and I couldn't get home fast enough. I knew everyone suspected what we were rushing away to do, but I didn't care. I only had a few more days to spend with him, and I wasn't wasting any time. That night our coupling was amazing, as usual. Afterward, Carlos held me in his arms and told me how he couldn't wait to make me his wife and watch me grow big with our babies—yep, he said babies, as in plural—and how he hoped they all looked just like me. I didn't want to argue with him, but I couldn't help silently wishing for a little boy that looked just like my Carlos...someday.

When the time came for Carlos to leave, I wasn't sure if I was going to survive it. He looked as sexy as ever in his fatigues, and it tore me apart watching him hug and kiss his family goodbye. Watching my dad shake his hand and wish him well, right before my mother pulled him into a fierce hug and whispered for him to stay safe, nearly sent me over the edge. I couldn't hold back the tears, and did nothing to wipe them off my cheeks as they fell in earnest.

The drive to the airport was somber, with us holding each other's hands as if they were our lifeline. I would have willingly done just about anything other than take another trip to the airport to see Carlos off. Of course, I would never miss saying goodbye to him, but I didn't want to be saying goodbye at all. My heart was slowly breaking as we got closer and closer to the time he would be leaving me again for an undetermined amount of time…well, at least a year.

Walking into the airport felt like I was walking to my death. A year without Carlos? How could I handle that? The time he spent away training was torture, but at least I'd known he was safe. God, I didn't want him to go!

We were steps away from the security checkpoint when Carlos pulled me into his arms. "I love you, Babe," he said as he crushed me to his chest. I wondered if he could sense the doom I was feeling. Was I transferring my bad thoughts to him? Was I jinxing him? Oh God!

"Promise me you'll come back," I begged. "I know you'll do everything you can, but I need you to promise me. Please!"

"I promise I'll be back, Babe," he said into my hair, emotion evident in his tone.

"I will love you forever, Carlos. But if you break your promise to me, I'll never forgive you. You _have_ to come back to me! You promised me a 'someday' and I'm going to hold you to it."

He squeezed me tighter and stroked my hair, telling me over and over that he would come back to me, but I could barely hear his whispered promises over the sound of my sobs. I wanted to be strong like the last time we parted at the airport, but I just couldn't. With a kiss filled with love and his desire to keep his promise, he said, "I love you, Babe…forever," and then turned and walked through security. I waited as bravely as I could until his final wave, before I turned and tried to make my way to the parking lot through my tears.

I had only made it a few steps when I felt like I would crumble from sadness. Just as I felt my knees starting to go weak, strong arms enveloped me. With a choked "Daddy", I collapsed in tears.

**TBC…**

**_Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. _**


	48. Chapter 48

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**Tissues may be needed.**

_Previously:_

_I had only made it a few steps when I felt like I would crumble from my sadness. Just as I felt my knees starting to go weak, strong arms enveloped me. With a choked "Daddy", I collapsed in tears. _

**Ch. 48**

I will never forget that July day when Dad came to my rescue in the airport. Without his support, I would probably have still been there days later, unable to leave. He whispered to me all the way to my Jeep that everything would work out, that Carlos was a strong, capable man who loved me and had every reason in the world to come home safe. When I told him that Carlos' drill sergeants had suggested Ranger school, he assured me that meant he was good—_really_ good—and that this should ease my mind some. But it didn't. I worried and worried, until a day in early August when I received an email on my school account. It was from Carlos.

_Babe,_

_I hope this email address is still good for you…it's the one I've always used. _

_As I'm sitting here writing this, I am missing you so much! _

_War is nothing like I thought it would be, but somehow it's still everything I expected. Oh, and can you believe it...Les and I are stationed only a few miles apart!? We see each other about every third day. _

_I can't tell you exactly where I am, but know that you are here with me in my heart. I think about you often, and fantasize about the day when we are reunited. More than anything, I miss holding you in my arms, Babe. I love you._

_I've got to run, but I'll email you again soon._

_Forever,_

_Carlos_

I quickly created a folder called "Carlos" where I could save our correspondence. That first note created a cycle of emails between us that would continue for years. And on the days when I didn't hear from him, I would read and re-read his past notes. I also received emails from Les, Bobby, and Cal. I assumed Carlos shared my email address, and I was grateful. It was so great hearing from my guys.

Bobby wasn't stationed near Carlos and Les, wherever that was, but he said he was pretty tight with his squad. A guy named Manny had become his closest friend. Manny hadn't lost anyone on 9/11, but knew several people who had, and it spurred his desire to join. He also knew what it was like to lose a family member, so they connected on that level. Bobby said he felt as tight with Manny as he imagined he would with a brother. I was so happy he had a good friendship and someone to watch his back.

Cal was still in Tampa, but said he was expecting to be deployed very soon. It was vague, but it was the best information he could give me. He was going to be allowed a weekend off sometime after the first anniversary of 9/11, and wanted to come to Miami for a visit. I threatened bodily harm if he didn't, to which he replied he wouldn't want to tangle with a softball star. Cal always knew how to make me smile.

Les emailed nearly as frequently as Carlos. He was always asking how Bridget _really_ was, as he didn't believe the cheery attitude that came across in her emails. In truth, she was about as sad as I was, but I told him we were both managing. That was the best I could give him, though he clearly didn't believe me, and accused me of being more secretive than the U.S. government.

I loved the emails from my guys. They made it seem almost like they weren't in another country fighting for their lives...almost.

Bridget and I thought about giving up the apartment; we didn't really need a three-bedroom, and weren't excited about having a new roommate. However, neither of us could walk away from the rooms where we had made so many memories with the loves of our lives, so we decided to suck it up and make it work. We didn't add a roommate, we just spent more than we wanted on rent. I wasn't sure if it was better or worse sleeping in the same room where Carlos and I had made love countless times. Most days I would say better, as I could still catch a whiff of his lingering scent. God, I missed him.

Early September was very difficult for me. Not only was Carlos not there, but it was also nearing the first 9/11 anniversary—the reason that he had joined. I hated walking around campus seeing everyone acting as if they didn't have a care in the world. It was almost as if people had forgotten all that happened a year ago. I was in the middle of a really good pity party when I received a phone call from Val.

"Joe proposed!" she screeched after my mumbled hello.

"What?" I asked, somewhat incoherently. It was barely eight on a Saturday morning, and I had stayed up late watching sappy movies and crying my eyes out. Bridget had gone back to Kentucky to visit her family for the Labor Day holiday, and I was extra lonely.

"Last night Joe took me out to dinner at Pino's while his Mom watched Angie, and as soon as we got home, he asked me to marry him!" I could hear the giddiness in her voice.

"That's great, Val. Congratulations. Have you decided when you'll get married?" I was trying not to sound bitter. I was happy for her, I really was, but I was also extremely jealous.

"We don't want to wait long, so we decided on Christmastime."

"Val, that's only two and a half months away!"

"I know. Mom just about had a fit when I told her, but she's already gone into super-planning mode, and is pulling every string she can to get the church and the VFW hall for us."

"Wow." I didn't know what else to say. "Hey Val, I'm sorry, I've gotta run. Congrats again."

"Thanks, Steph!" I didn't even hear whether she said goodbye as I hung up and buried my head under the pillow. I thought I had cried all the tears I had the previous night. I guess they repopulated while I slept.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The semester flew by, and before I knew it, it was finals time. My courses that semester were all really interesting, except for a "core requirement" geography course that had no value to me, but the professor was excellent so it was tolerable. My favorite was a textiles class that I learned a lot from, and I was able to immediately incorporate it into my work with Donna. Bridget was in that class with me, which made it all the more fun. I was actually sad to see the semester end, except for the fact that it put me one step closer to seeing Carlos.

For my 21st birthday that October, Abuela Rosa invited me over for a lavish dinner with Alex, Mari, baby Benji, Grandma Mazur, and Bridget. I thought it was cute that they broke out a bottle of wine in honor of my finally being able to drink alcohol. Little did they know…! Later that night, Bridget and a few friends from my Interior Design classes went out to celebrate with me. I didn't get drunk, but I did get a nice buzz. It proved two things to me: one, that I'm a complete lightweight when it comes to alcohol; and two, that even a nice buzz couldn't keep me from missing Carlos so much that I physically ached. I wasn't surprised by the second revelation. I had received a beautiful birthday letter from Carlos telling me how much he missed me, and how sad he felt missing "the big one". I fell asleep that night with his letter clutched in my hand.

Val had asked me to be her maid of honor, and of course I had agreed, despite my unwavering jealousy. I wasn't jealous because she had Joe—Lord knows that I loved Carlos with all of my heart—I was jealous because she was getting her happily ever after _now,_ and I wasn't. Petty, most definitely, but I couldn't help it.

I'd found a bridal store in Miami to get my dress measurements done, as I didn't want to go back to Trenton before the Christmas break. Grandma Mazur seemed to share my thoughts—avoid Mom at all costs when she was in planning mode—so we celebrated Thanksgiving with Abuela Rosa, Alex, Mari, baby Benji, and Bridget. It was a wonderful holiday despite the fact that Carlos wasn't there. I always enjoyed spending time with Grandma and Abuela; they never failed to make me smile. Especially when Grandma called Abuela Rosa "Rosie", and they would bicker over the best way to cook some dish. In truth, they were both excellent cooks. So no matter how a dish was made, it was going to be delicious. But they seemed to enjoy the banter, so no one ever interrupted or offered a simple, "You're both right".

Benji was the perfect baby. He was always happy and gurgling, and loved to play with my hair. Every time he tugged on it and gave me his "Manoso smile", as Abuela Rosa called it, I would melt. He reminded me so much of Carlos, with his chocolate brown eyes and the way his smile lit up his face. I often found myself dreaming of my "someday" with Carlos when I spent time with Benji.

Bridget enjoyed spending Thanksgiving with us, and was thrilled to hear Alex's stories of holidays when he and Les were younger, before their parents passed away. We laughed for hours at some of the stunts that Les had pulled to sneak a taste of dinner before the food was brought to the table. That night when we went home, Bridget said she felt closer to Les than she had in months. I was so glad she had gone with me.

Donna was thrilled when finals were over, as she got me full-time for a week before I had to head back to Jersey for Val's wedding. Business was booming and we didn't seem to be able to design plans fast enough. Donna praised me left and right, saying she had more requests for my work than for her junior partner Mark, and nearly as many as for her. It was a huge ego boost and I thrived on it. For the entire week before leaving for Jersey, I busted my butt on projects. I turned out more work than nearly everyone else in the company, but was still surprised with the Christmas bonus I received the day before I left.

"Stephanie, you've more than earned it," Donna said. "One of these days, I'm going to make you my partner."

"Oh God, Donna, I would love that! Thank you so much! I can't tell you what this job means to me."

"I should be thanking _you_. My company hasn't been this profitable...ever. You are truly a gift, Stephanie Plum."

I blushed. I loved the praise, but was still embarrassed by it. "I'll see you right after New Year's," I told her, gathering my things to leave.

"Have a wonderful Christmas with your family, Stephanie."

"Thank you. Hey, you never said what you're doing for the holidays?" I asked.

She hesitated before saying, "Working, of course. I have a business to run, remember?"

"Well, of course you do, but you must be taking _some_ time off, right? What about your family."

She seemed lost in thought for a moment, before saying she didn't have a family to celebrate the holidays with.

"I thought your parents were still alive?"

"No, dear, they died a long time ago. And after Allen..." and she stopped. She never mentioned more about Allen than his name.

"Why don't you come to Trenton with me?" I asked her, surprising myself.

"What?"

"Sure! My mom loves to play hostess, and Val's wedding is going to be a huge party. Come on."

She thought about it for a moment before saying, "Sure. Why not?"

I gave her my flight information and she called the airline while I waited. It cost her a pretty penny to book last-minute, but she made it onto the flight with Grandma and me the next day. I left her with a solid piece of advice: "Make sure you pack warm, it's much colder in Jersey," and headed home.

XXXXXXXXX

Valerie made a beautiful bride! Not that I was surprised—she had always been beautiful—but on her wedding day she was absolutely stunning. She was glowing, and the smile on her face never wavered. Her gown was a Princess-style in antique ivory, with a beaded top, lace-covered long sleeves, and a full satin skirt followed by a small train. She wore a beautiful lace veil, though not over her face.

The wedding party was small, consisting of me, Connie Rossoli—a friend of Val's from high school—and Angie as her flower girl. Connie and I wore matching dark green dresses, which seemed to compliment both my lighter skin tone and Connie's slightly darker skin. Joe had his brother Anthony as his best man, his cousin Mooch as his other groomsman, and his nephew Anthony Jr. as the ring-bearer. He was so adorable holding Angie's hand down the aisle. The smile on Joe's face was the same one he'd had when Angie was born, and I knew he truly loved my sister. I teared up throughout the ceremony, and got lost in thoughts of Carlos during the wedding Mass. Val had been able to get her marriage to Steve annulled in the eyes of the church, so she and Joe were able to have a full Catholic wedding, which thrilled both of their mothers.

The reception was beautiful as well; the VFW Hall had never looked better. How Mom managed to secure that venue the Saturday before Christmas is beyond me. When Val and Joe shared their first dance as husband and wife, I had to excuse myself to go to the restroom. I missed Carlos terribly, and this was the first Christmas in two years that we weren't going to spend together. When I finally dried my tears, fixed my mascara, and left the bathroom, the traditional dances (father/daughter, mother/son) were finished, and the various party-goers were doing the Chicken Dance. I couldn't help but laugh at Donna flapping her arms and shaking her tush. She had hit it off with my family right away, and seemed to really be enjoying herself. Of course, the open bar didn't hurt, either.

As the reception wound down, it was obvious that Donna wasn't going to be able to drive herself back to her hotel room. And despite Joe's Uncle Sal's best efforts, I wasn't letting him drive her. I helped her climb into my father's Buick before heading off for the Marriot at the end of State Street. We were nearly there when she started to cry.

"Are you ok, Donna? Do I need to pull over?"

"I'm fine, Steph. I just realized that I'll never get over him."

I knew I shouldn't pry in her alcohol-induced state, but I couldn't help it. "Who? Allen?" Donna nodded, and I continued. "You never said what happened between the two of you."

"I loved him with my whole heart and he loved me too."

"So why did you split?"

"We didn't."

"Huh?" Eloquent, I know, but I didn't know what else to say.

"He died," she whispered, "in Desert Storm. My Allen was a soldier too. Only he didn't come home to me like he promised. I hope your Carlos can keep his promise." And with that, she closed her eyes.

I felt tears prick my own eyes, and whispered to her now-sleeping form, "Me too."

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	49. Chapter 49

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**I cannot believe I have more than 900 reviews. You are all so amazing. Thanks so much for the support! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**Tissues may be needed.**

_Previously:_

_"He died," she whispered, "in Desert Storm. My Allen was a soldier too. Only he didn't come home to me like he promised. I hope your Carlos can keep his promise." And with that, she closed her eyes._

_I felt tears prick my own eyes, and whispered to her now-sleeping form, "Me too."_

**Ch. 49**

I was still reeling from Donna's admission the next morning. Christmas was only two days away, and I knew that I had to hold it together for my family's sake, but I wasn't sure how I would. Donna's soldier hadn't come back from war, and I kept asking myself over and over again: Would mine? And just as importantly: If my soldier didn't come back, would I ever get over it? Well, at least I knew why she never wanted to talk to me about Allen.

I kept my emotions in check the best I could and tried to enjoy the holiday. Val and Joe were incredibly happy together, almost sickeningly so. They had stayed in Trenton so we could all enjoy the Christmas holiday as a family. I thought I was going to lose my breakfast when Valerie called Joe her "Sweetie Pie" as we were getting ready to open gifts.

Donna and I spent Christmas morning at my parents' house with my family and the Morellis, and planned to head to Newark for an afternoon with the Manoso clan. Joe and Val were leaving for a four-day honeymoon in New York City the next morning, and Mom and Mrs. Morelli were taking turns keeping Angie. The newlyweds hadn't had much time together without Angie, so four days alone was exactly what they wanted. Val had even said they could stay in Trenton; she just wanted a little time alone with her new husband.

Donna changed her mind and opted to go back to her hotel when I left for Newark. She said she needed a nap after all the delicious food my mother had served for Christmas breakfast. And while I felt bad leaving her alone, I enjoyed spending the afternoon with Carlos' family. Being with the Manosos without Carlos made the fact that he really wasn't there all the more real. The entire family was somewhat somber; they all missed Carlos and Les. I spotted Abuela Rosa running her rosary beads through her fingers on more than one occasion. Mari and Alex looked through the family photo albums and pointed out Uncle Lester to Benji, whose face lit up in the most adorable smile at the sight of his uncle. I knew hearing that would make Les happy, and reminded myself to tell him about it in my next email.

The brightest spot of my Christmas? Receiving an email from Carlos. He wished me a Merry Christmas and told me how much he loved me and missed me. He promised me that someday, we would never be apart for a holiday again—that we would spend it as a family and that he, for one, survived by thinking of our "someday". It made me smile and cry at the same time. Thinking about someday became a new pastime for me. Every time I thought of something I wanted to do with him someday, I wrote it down. It couldn't possibly hurt to start planning early, so that was exactly what I was going to do.

Joe and Val arrived home in time to celebrate New Year's with our family. Val had a definite glow to her that I recognized—and missed! Donna joined the Plums at the annual New Year's Eve party held at Trenton's VFW Hall, as did the Manosos, except for Alex, Mari, and Benji, who had already returned to Miami to ring in the New Year with Mari's family. Her parents had been on a six-week cruise spanning both the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and had just returned. We had gone to the annual party every year when I was growing up, and it had always been a good time.

Grandma and Abuela Rosa had a fantastic time cutting a rug with various men. I found myself laughing at Grandma when she would squeeze her dance partner's butt, and then give Abuela either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down. If it was a thumbs-up, Abuela would take a turn dancing with him; if it was a thumbs-down, she wouldn't. I guess Grandma was acting as quality control that night.

Donna had a great time at the party too. She spent a lot of time dancing with Sergeant Joe Juniak, who, according to Daddy, was running for Chief of Police in the fall. Juniak and Daddy had been friends for a long time, and he was practically family, so I knew he was "good people". The fact that Juniak and Donna spent the evening in each other's arms made me smile. It seemed everyone was having a great time.

I didn't do as much dancing as I normally would, but did dance a few times with some guys I had known all my life, starting with Eddie Gazarra, who recently married into my family by marrying my cousin Shirley the whiner. (She came by that nickname honestly!) Shirley was expecting their first child and needed to sit down for a while, so Eddie gave me a spin around the floor. It was fun reminiscing and laughing with him like old times.

I also danced with Carl Costanza, who was a year ahead of me in school. He asked when I was moving back to Trenton, and seemed truly disappointed when I said I didn't think I ever would. He told me it was boring without me around. I wasn't sure whether to take that as a compliment or not.

After my dad had danced with me, Carlos' father took me for a spin around the floor. As I danced with Ricardo, I allowed myself to imagine Carlos as an older man, and me dancing in his arms. I missed him so much, and times like that, when I could picture him holding me, loving me, made it so much worse.

I excused myself shortly after my dance with Ricardo. I couldn't bear to stay until midnight and watch all the happy couples embracing and kissing as they rang in the New Year. Instead, I headed home and booted up my laptop. To my delight, there was another email from Carlos! So I rang in my New Year alternating between reading his email and looking at a picture of us from last Christmas. I once again reminded myself of the things I wanted to happen "someday", then tucked myself into bed and had wonderful dreams of the man I wanted to spend my someday with.

The morning of the first was quiet. It was the one-year anniversary of Grandpa's death, and while Grandma had had a great time the night before, cutting a rug with nearly every senior in the Trenton area, that day she was a mourning widow.

After a quiet breakfast, Grandma asked me if I would take her to the cemetery. It was the last place I wanted to go, but I agreed without hesitation. Grandma didn't ask much of me, and she was always supportive, so the least I could do was return the favor. Mom asked if she could go with us, but Grandma asked for some privacy; I could tell it hurt Mom's feelings, but she didn't argue.

Bundled in down jackets, I definitely missed the warmth of Miami as Grandma and I headed to the cemetery. When I pulled up to the aisle near Grandpa's grave, I noticed Grandma take a shaky breath before straightening her spine and opening the Buick's door. I smiled to myself at Grandma's bravery—at least I knew where I got mine from.

I followed Grandma along the frost-covered ground. It hadn't snowed, but the grass was still frozen. I stood and listened to Grandma telling Grandpa how much she missed him, and how much fun she was having in Miami, but that it just wasn't the same without him. She told him she would love him forever, but that she knew he would want her to be happy and try to move on. It broke my heart when her voice caught as she was telling him that no matter what, she would never love anyone as much as she loved him. The tears were flowing down my cheeks, as well as Grandma's, as we made our way back to the car. There was so much I wanted to say to her, but I couldn't say anything.

Donna and I returned to Miami on January second. Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa had decided to stay for another week or two. Grandma was on my mind the entire trip back. I thought about how much she loved Grandpa—a lifetime of loving him!—and only hoped that I would have that long to love Carlos.

After we got off the plane, and were preparing to go our separate ways, Donna spoke up.

"Stephanie, I do hope that I didn't upset you when I told you about Allen. I realized later that that was the last thing you needed to have on your mind with your Carlos overseas. I'm so sorry."

"Donna, you don't have to be sorry. Soldiers die every day. I have no illusions regarding what Carlos and my friends are going through. I'm just so sorry for your loss, and that you thought you had to keep it from me."

"I wasn't just keeping it from _you_, Stephanie. No one at the office knows about Allen. I try to keep my personal life separate from my work life. And I don't want anyone's pity."

"I can understand that. I promise I will respect your privacy and won't mention it to anyone."

"I appreciate that, Stephanie. Go ahead and take tomorrow off, but be prepared to work hard on Monday. I have you for a few weeks before you go back to school, and I'm sure we'll have quite a bit of work to catch up on after being gone this long!" Judging by the smile on her face as she turned to leave, I knew she wasn't actually that stressed about the pending workload.

Silence greeted me as I walked into the apartment about thirty minutes later. It crushed me nearly every time I came home, knowing Carlos wouldn't be there. After depositing my suitcases in my closet, promising myself that I'd take care of them tomorrow, I stripped down, threw on one of Carlos' T-shirts, and climbed into bed with my laptop. The shirt still smelled faintly like him, and I couldn't keep myself from burying my nose in it as the computer booted.

I was shocked when MSN Messenger signed on and showed that Carlos was online as well. I was even more surprised when the window popped open with the word I so wanted to hear—not just read—"Babe?"

"I'm here."

"I was just writing you an email when it said you signed on. Where are you?"

"In our bed in Miami. How are you? Are things going ok? How's Les? Have you heard from Bobby?"

"One thing at a time, Babe. I'm ok. Tired and freakin' freezing, but ok. Les is good, I just saw him yesterday. And I heard from Bobby a couple days ago too. He's good…missing not being with his Mom and Aunt for the holidays, but good. Now...you said you were in our bed, what are you wearing?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his question. I also couldn't keep from telling him.

"Your black T-shirt. The one I always wear. It still smells like you."

"Mmmmm, Babe. I can picture you in that shirt. What else?"

"Nothing else, Carlos."

There was a hesitation before he typed, "Nothing else? No panties?"

I was wearing panties, but hadn't realized that was what he meant when he asked "What else?" So I elaborated for him: "I'm wearing black silk bikini panties." After I hit Send, I had a mild panic attack. "You aren't where anyone else can read this, are you?"

"No one is in the Comm tent with me right now." That made me feel somewhat better, but the thought of anyone from the government reading about what kind of panties I was wearing was unsettling.

"Tell me about you, Carlos. Anything you can."

"There isn't much I _can_ tell you, Babe. I'm alive and without any major injuries. And missing you like crazy! What I wouldn't give to be in bed taking those panties off you right now, Babe."

"I'd give just about anything for you to be able to do that right now too. I miss you so much, Carlos."

"I miss you too, Babe. How was Christmas with the family? Is everyone well?"

"It was wonderful. Val and Joe's wedding was beautiful, and Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa had a great time together at the New Year's Eve party. You should see Benji, he's getting so big! And his little eyes just lit up every time Mari and Alex pointed out 'Uncle Lester' in a picture. They all missed you and Les, I missed you and Les. I missed _you_! But it was good."

"I miss them all too. I miss you more than I can possibly convey, Babe. I love you. Listen, I only have two more minutes of time online. Do you want me to keep talking to you, or finish the email I was writing so you have something for later?"

"Finish the email. It will give me something to read tomorrow night. I love you so much, Carlos. Don't get shot, ok?"

"I'll do my best, Babe. Don't go crazy, ok?"

"I'll do my best."

"Love you, Babe."

"Love you!"

I stared at the computer screen for a long time. So long that I lost track of time, but I just couldn't close the window with his words, "Love you, Babe". I could almost hear him saying them to me...almost.

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I apologize for the delay in posting. Life got in the way and then I got in a funk. I'm having a bit of writer's block and don't want to just put out words for sake of posting. I want to stick with how I've done it so far, and that means a delay. So...thanks for sticking with me. I'm doing my best to push through the fog and get another chapter out to you as soon as possible. I so appreciate the support! I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	50. Chapter 50

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**I apologize for the delay in my posting. Life has taken a toll on me, plus I've been a little blocked. I'm trying to break through it. Please, stick with me and I promise I will finish and I'll do my best to get back to more frequent posts. I appreciate your support more than I can say!**

_Previously:_

_I stared at the computer screen for a long time. So long that I lost track of time, but I just couldn't close the screen where his words, "Love you, Babe," were. I could almost hear him saying them to me...almost._

**Ch. 50**

I finally got an email from Cal. It was early March and I hadn't heard from him since he cancelled his plans to come visit the previous September. I was so looking forward to spending some time with him and catching up. I missed all the guys terribly, and couldn't wait to see at least one of them. So when he cancelled, I was pretty bummed. The weekend I was supposed to spend with Cal, I spent drowning my sorrows in a carton of Ben & Jerry's, while watching _Steel Magnolias_. Yep, I was that kind of depressed.

Since then, I'd managed to only drown my sorrows like that occasionally. I usually watched _Ghostbusters_ and snacked on light popcorn when I was feeling a little blue. Bridget always knew when I pulled out the Ben & Jerry's that I was seriously down, and would be going through a box of tissues. And she usually joined me.

When Cal's email arrived, I hoped it meant that he was going to be visiting soon. Unfortunately, it meant the complete opposite: he was being deployed overseas—though he couldn't tell me where—and he'd promised his Mom that he would spend his time off with her. I would have gone to see him, but I had midterms, and softball season was in full swing. I settled for a catch-up phone call, and made him promise me he would stay safe and stay in contact more frequently. He promised, and I only went through half a box of tissues when the phone call was finished. Man, I missed my friends.

When the news reports began discussing American troops being in Iraq, I began to suspect that that's where Cal had been sent. Especially when there was mention of Naval intelligence. At last all the "super-secret Navy stuff" Cal had alluded to made sense.

After Donna's revelation about Allen the night of my sister's wedding, and our conversation at the airport, she opened up to me even more. At first she had been embarrassed by her "over sharing", but once she started talking about him, she said she felt great relief in having unburdened herself. We became more than boss/employee: it was like we were friends, almost family. Donna and I worked so closely together that I felt more like her partner than an apprentice. We even went out to dinner and shared the occasional glass of wine together.

Bridget was doing incredibly well at work also, continuing to partner with Mark, but once the spring semester started, her schoolwork suffered. She had started off a year ahead of me in school, but she decided to take fewer hours each semester so she could keep her grades up. This meant that we would both be graduating in May 2004.

It seemed like time had both flown and stood still since Carlos left. I missed him terribly; every second of every day and each email I received from him brought relief that he had survived another day. Bridget and I hated watching the news. Not being able to know for sure where our loved ones were and whether they were safe was torture, but we seemed unable to turn off CNN. It was an addiction.

XXXXXXXXXX

The days turned into weeks and months. Between work, school, and softball, Bridget and I were insanely busy (she was team manager again). My softball season wasn't as successful as the year before. We made it to the World Series again, but lost after making several errors in the outfield. I was bummed, but still proud of how far we had gone.

Once softball was finished, and with school out for almost a month already, I took a much-needed break and headed to Trenton to visit my family. Travel expenses had been too high for them to make it to the tournament that year, so I hadn't seen them in months. But I didn't expect what I found when I arrived at my parents' house.

I wanted my visit to be a surprise, so nobody knew I was going to Trenton—not even Grandma Mazur. She and Abuela were still great friends, and had decided to go on a "single seniors" cruise together. After making them both promise to behave, I dropped them at the pier and watched their ship depart before heading for the airport.

After landing in Newark, I rented a car so that I would have the freedom to come and go as I pleased. My timing was perfect: I arrived in Trenton and pulled up to my parents' house at 5:55 p.m., just in time for dinner. I walked in the front door and was greeted with...silence! Since when was my parents' house ever silent? There was always some noise from Mom working in the kitchen and the television blaring from the living room, but that day there was nothing. And there were no delicious aromas permeating the air, either. It was a safe bet that no one was home, and that dinner wouldn't be served at six p.m. as usual.

At a loss for what to do, I carried my luggage up to my old room, and pulled out my clothes to hang before the wrinkles would set and require Mom's expertise with the iron. Starving, and unsure when my folks might be home, I headed out to one of my favorite stomping grounds, Pino's. They had the best pizza in the city and an even better meatball sub. Just thinking about that sub made my mouth water! After ten short minutes in my little rented Ford Escort, I walked into the building, my stomach growling loudly in anticipation of what was to come.

After I'd taken two steps in the door and my eyes had adjusted, I realized I had found my parents. They were at a back table with Joe, Val, and Angie, enjoying an extra large pizza. I quickly headed in their direction, and the whole restaurant was alerted to my arrival about a half-second after Mom spotted me.

"STEPHANIE!" she screeched, jumping to her feet and wrapping me in a hug. It certainly wasn't the reaction I had been expecting.

"What are you doing in Trenton?" she asked, in a much closer-to-normal tone of voice.

"Well, I hadn't seen you guys in a while, so I thought it was time for a visit."

"I'm so glad you're here. Here, grab a chair and join us. Whatever you want, Dad's buying."

"Hi, Daddy," I said, stepping into my father's embrace as he stood and grabbed a chair from a nearby table.

"Good to see you, Pumpkin." I repeated the hugs and greetings with Val and Joe, and cooed at my little niece, who was much bigger than the last time I had seen her.

Cindy Mancini, a waitress who had been working at Pino's as long as I could remember, brought me a Diet Coke and asked if I was going to join them in the pizza or if I wanted my usual. I smiled and said, "Usual," before turning back to my family and their conversation.

"Steph, have you heard from Carlos recently? How is he?"

I smiled half-heartedly and replied, "He writes as often as he can. I got an email from him the other day and he's doing well."

My mom squeezed my hand before saying, "You really miss him, don't you, sweetheart?"

"More than I can say," I choked out around the lump forming in my throat.

We sat in awkward silence for several seconds. Val finally saved the day by changing the subject. "Well Steph, your visit is perfectly timed."

"Oh yeah?" I asked, smiling my thanks for the distraction.

"Joe and I invited Mom and Dad out to dinner tonight to share our good news." She took a deep breath, and turned to smile at Joe, before taking his hand and announcing, "We're having a baby!"

My mom squealed again, almost as loudly as when she first saw me, and jumped up to wrap Joe and Val in a hug. I was frozen in shock, unable to speak, until my Dad squeezed my hand and then moved to congratulate them. Another baby. Angie wasn't even two for another month, and Val was ready for another baby? I had no idea what I would do with one kid, let alone two, and yet I found myself incredibly jealous of my older sister.

XXXXXXXXXX

I stayed in Trenton for a week. It was nice to see my family, but my jealousy was eating me up inside. On the one hand, I was incredibly happy for my sister. She and Joe were even more in love with each other than I remembered, and Joe seemed ecstatic to be having another child. He had adopted Angie shortly after his wedding to Val—Steve hadn't even objected—and he was her father in every sense of the word, but this one would have Morelli blood. In the past I would have said, "God help it", but Joe had single-handedly changed the reputation of the Morelli men. I was happy for Val, I really was. But I also couldn't help hating her just a little bit. And it was killing me.

I spent one night with Carlos' family in Newark. Maria and Ricardo greeted me much the same way my parents had, and then proceeded to fill me full of all the Cuban food I could eat. Maria and I stayed up talking the entire night, and didn't crawl into bed until the sun was coming up. It felt like I was talking to my best friend and my mom at the same time. I loved it. She validated my jealousy of Joe and Val's blissfulness, but told me not to let it override my happiness for them. She was right: I had to find a way to push that envy aside. It wasn't easy, but I knew the distance would help.

When I said goodbye to my family, they said they would come visit soon. Ricardo and Maria had promised the same thing, and I told them I would hold them to it. My flight back to Miami seemed longer than normal, and I realized it was because I hadn't heard from Carlos in over a week. He usually tried to email me at least every three to four days, but it had been nearly nine days since our last correspondence. I was surprised the plane could fly with the weight of the lump in my stomach.

My anxiety over not hearing from Carlos reached its boiling point when I arrived back at the apartment. Bridget's car was parked in her spot, and I found myself running up the stairs. Without even saying hello, I blurted out, "When is the last time you heard from Les?"

"Hi Steph, how was your trip? Donna's going nuts without you in the office. She'll be so happy you're back."

Had she heard me? "Trip was fine. When is the last time you heard from Les?"

"Jeez, Steph, take a breath. Is everything ok? I heard from him..." and she trailed off as she scrunched her face up like she was thinking. "Gosh, I guess it's been since right after you left, so about six days ago, maybe?"

I began pacing and praying that everything was ok. Les and Carlos were great about checking in, and the fact that neither of us had heard from them in nearly a week, or in my case more, was very disconcerting. "Have you been watching CNN?"

"Not really. I pulled a bunch of late nights this week, and mostly just collapsed when I came home. Have you?"

"No. Getting the remote away from my Dad is like pulling teeth."

Without saying anything else, Bridget turned on the television.

"More than a dozen American soldiers were killed and a dozen or more wounded Thursday, in a surprise attack just outside of Kabul," a reporter announced.

Thursday. That was two days ago. Was Carlos one of the dead? One of the injured? No one had come to the Manosos' house when I was there on Thursday, but maybe it had still been too early? Oh God, what if he was dead? How would I survive?

I shook my head to try and banish thoughts of Carlos being injured—or worse—when the ringing of my cell phone registered in my brain. Looking at the display, I nearly passed out. The Manosos. Please, God, don't let it be bad news about Carlos!

**TBC…**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	51. Chapter 51

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**Thank you, once again for all of the support! To make up for the cliffie, here is the update a little earlier than normal. Enjoy!**

_Previously:_

_I shook my head to try and banish thoughts of Carlos being injured—or worse—when the ringing of my cell phone registered in my brain. Looking at the display, I nearly passed out. The Manosos. Please, God, don't let it be bad news about Carlos! _

**Ch. 51**

I could see the explosion. I could hear the roar of pain from Carlos and see the flames surrounding him. I closed my eyes and tried to fight back the tears as the priest went through the all-too-familiar graveside service. When he got to the "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust" part, I nearly collapsed. My tears were flowing and the sobs coming from my throat were enough to block out any other sounds. I expected someone would try to comfort me, even though it was the last thing I wanted. All I wanted was Carlos. What I didn't expect was the shaking. Finally, Bridget screaming my name broke through my sobs and reached my ears. When I opened my eyes again, I was in my room in Miami. It had been a dream...again. Well, more like a nightmare. The tears were real, but thankfully, everything else wasn't.

"Same dream?" Bridget asked, concern written all over her face.

My throat burned from the screaming, so I only nodded in return.

"They're ok, Steph. You chatted with Carlos yesterday. He and Les are fine. Have you heard from Bobby and Cal?"

I reached for the bottle of water I kept near my bedside and took a sip in a vain attempt to sooth my sore throat. "Yeah, Bobby emailed me yesterday, and so did Cal. They're both ok, too. I'm not having this dream on purpose. Believe me, I would give anything not to see what I'm seeing in it."

"I know, Steph. Do you think maybe you should talk to someone?"

"Like a shrink? I'm not crazy!"

"I don't think you're crazy, Steph, but I've had to wake you up from your nightmares for a week and a half now. You're hardly sleeping, and no offense, but you look like crap!"

"Gee, thanks, Bridge!" 

"I'm not trying to be mean, Steph. I'm just worried."

I heaved a heavy sigh, "I know. The client Donna and I met with yesterday gave me the worst look. I can tell I look like the walking dead, but I can't help it. I can't make the nightmares go away."

"That's why I said maybe you might want to talk to someone. It might help you."

"I'll think about it, ok?"

"That's all anyone could ask. Look, I've gotta run. Mark and I have an early meeting with some bigwig that wants his whole house redone." She gave me a big smile before saying, "God I love this job."

"Thanks, Bridget, you're a great friend! I'll see you at the office later this afternoon."

"Take it easy, Steph."

I let out a huge sigh as Bridget left the apartment. Talk to someone? Should I really consider this? It was true that I looked like crap, I knew it. But I was so worried about Carlos. Even though he reassured me as often as possible that he was ok, I couldn't help but worry. He was in a war, for crying out loud!

I forced myself to get up and out of bed. I could really use more sleep, but I didn't want to be trapped in another nightmare, so I made the decision to get ready and head to work early. After a long shower and a cup of coffee—ugh, when did I start needing coffee so badly in the morning?—I headed in to Lands' Designs.

"Stephanie! What are you doing here so early?" Donna asked, surprise written on her face.

I gave her a soft smile. "I thought I would go over the Ostein proposal again before this afternoon's meeting, make sure we hit on everything from my meeting notes."

"Steph, honey, are you sure you're up for that meeting later? I wasn't going to say anything, but your focus has been a little...off, lately."

No one in the office but Bridget knew about my nightmares. I was embarrassed that I couldn't get them to go away, and didn't want anyone to think I was weak. But Donna had always been so wonderful to me, and I decided maybe it was time to confide in her. She wasn't a shrink, but she had some real life experience that might come in handy.

"Can I talk to you for a minute in private?" I asked hesitantly.

"Of course, Stephanie. Let's grab a cup of coffee and one of Marisol's fabulous muffins and go to my office." Marisol worked in human resources and was one of the best bakers I had the privilege of knowing. My mouth drooled at the mention of one of her muffins.

After a quick stop in the break room, we headed into Donna's office and got comfortable on her couch. "Ok, Steph. Spill it. What's bothering you?"

"You remember when I went to Trenton a couple weeks ago?"

"Of course! Go on."

"Well, on the plane on the way home I realized it had been over a week since I'd heard from Carlos. When I got back to the apartment, Bridget told me it had been nearly that long since she'd heard from Les. When we turned on CNN they were reporting on that roadside bomb outside of Kabul that killed those American soldiers and I started to panic. Before I could even wrap my brain around something happening to Carlos, I got a call from his Mom."

"You never mentioned anything. I'm assuming Carlos is ok? And your other friends?"

"They are all ok. I just got myself so worked up in my mind that the thoughts stuck, and now I'm having nightmares."

"What kind of nightmares?"

"I keep seeing Carlos caught in a fire. The Army truck he's in gets blown up. I hear his screams and then I'm at his funeral."

"Oh, Steph. I'm so sorry. That must be horrible!"

"I know it's silly. I've chatted with him several times and I know he's all right, but I can't turn the nightmares off. And the silliest part is, his Mom was calling just to make sure I had gotten back to Miami ok. I had a little bout of jealousy in Trenton, and she and I had talked about it. She wanted to make sure I called her if I needed to talk any more. Such a sweet gesture, yet it's just about made me crazy!"

"Steph, honey, listen. You're just concerned for the man you love, and there's nothing wrong with that. Have you considered talking to someone about your fears?"

"So you think I'm crazy, too?" I was on the verge of tears, but I didn't want to cry.

"Oh no, of course not! These are completely normal thoughts, Steph. Bad things do happen—daily —over there. It's normal for you to worry that it could happen to your Carlos. I'm just saying, it might help to sit and talk with someone who's going through the same thing."

"Maybe I could ask those FRG people," I mumbled, more to myself than to Donna.

"FRG?"

"Family Readiness Group. It's this group that Carlos signed me up for. They pass along information on his unit. They offer support. They might know of someone I could talk to."

"Maybe they have a support group? I'll go with you, if you'd like."

"Really?" I couldn't believe this wonderful woman would give up her free time to go with me to a support group.

"Sure, Stephanie. It's important to you, and you're important to me. Besides, I can't have you scaring away our clients with this zombie look you've got going on. It's only July; Halloween isn't until October." I stared at her for a second, until she broke into a huge smile. Then I couldn't hold back my own giggle.

"Thanks, Donna." I was thanking her for lightening the mood as much as I was for her support.

"Any time, Steph. Now, you better get to work." At her warm smile, I grabbed my coffee mug and heading for my desk. I felt better already.

XXXXXXX

I didn't make it to Trenton for Angie's second birthday. I wanted to, but Donna and I had a huge project we were working on, and I didn't want to leave her in a lurch. Plus, I still felt a little guilty about being so jealous of Val and Joe's happiness.

The support group was helping, though. My FRG contact had come through for me in a big way, and connected me with a local group that met on Thursday nights at seven. It was perfect. Donna went with me, and held my hand as I cried, listening to all of the women talk about their fears for their loved ones. I hadn't spoken yet, but just hearing them tell their stories validated my fears. I hadn't had a nightmare in almost three days, and I already felt much more rested.

"Steph. Steph!"

"Hmm?" I had been daydreaming again, about Carlos' return. I still wasn't sure when he would come home, but I found myself constantly lost in thought about him.

"Steph, the Martines are in the waiting room, and Donna's in the restroom. Do you want me to show them to the conference room, or did you want to?" Bridget asked from the doorway.

"I'll do it. Thanks, Bridge."

Ron and Rachel Martine were newly married, and had just purchased a huge home—some might call it a mansion—in Coral Gables. Not the wealthiest subdivision in the area, but definitely up there. They were expecting their first child in eight months, and wanted everything "just perfect" before the baby arrived. Mr. Martine was a high-profile attorney and was running for District Attorney. It wasn't a job I wanted, nor one I would want my husband to have. But they were the ideal clients: no expense spared!

"Mr. Martine, Mrs. Martine…it's great to see you again. If you'd like to follow me to the conference room, we'll get started soon."

"Please, call us Rachel and Ron," Rachel said with a smile, as she and her husband stood to follow me down the hall.

The meeting went extremely well, with the Martines loving everything we proposed. It was too early to know if they were having a boy or a girl, so we designed a room for both, and would outfit it accordingly once the sex was determined. They were thrilled for us to get started, and Donna was thrilled with the sizable deposit they left us with.

"Stephanie, you're amazing, child."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you even realize that you designed nearly their entire house, and basically ran that meeting?"

I hadn't realized it. "No, I only helped you."

"No, dear. You took copious notes in the first two meetings with them, and put their vision down on paper. They loved everything you did, and just left us with $50,000. And that's only a deposit! Do you have any idea how much you've increased my profits since you joined us?"

"No," I mumbled. I was glad Donna thought I was doing a good job, but it was slightly embarrassing that she was gushing over me.

"I don't have the figures in front of me, but it's very substantial. I'd like you to start thinking about what role you would like in the company when you graduate in May."

"What do you mean? My role would change?"

"Only on paper. I'd like to give you a title and more responsibility. And, of course, a raise. But that will start now."

"Donna, I don't need a raise. You pay me extremely well, and you are so flexible with my schedule. I don't want to feel like I'm taking advantage of you."

"Believe me, child. I'm the one taking advantage. Your natural talent for this industry is phenomenal. And I don't want to lose you to my competition."

"I'm not going anywhere, Donna. You're like family to me, and that means more to me than money."

"And your loyalty means the world to me. Forgive me if I want to reward it a little. Think about what title you would like. I've got to get going, I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. You get started organizing the subcontractors for the Martines, and we'll touch base tomorrow, ok?"

I nodded as she gathered her things and left the conference room. I was flabbergasted. A title? A raise? "Natural talent"? I couldn't wait to tell Carlos!

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter.**_


	52. Chapter 52

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything.**

**I apologize for the delay in my posting. Life has taken a toll on me, plus I've been a little blocked. I'm trying to break through it. Please, stick with me and I promise I will finish and I'll do my best to get back to more frequent posts. I appreciate your support more than I can say!**

_Previously:_

_I nodded as she gathered her things and left the conference room. I was flabbergasted. A title? A raise? "Natural talent"? I couldn't wait to tell Carlos! _

**Ch. 52**

The end of summer came and went with a flurry of new business at Lands' Designs. Donna kept her word and gave me a raise—a significant one—and was adamant that I have a title. While I was still a student, I would be a "Junior Design Coordinator"; we agreed to table any discussion regarding my post-graduation title for the time being.

Carlos and the rest of the guys kept in fairly constant contact with me, which was reassuring. Well, as reassuring as it could be: I still worried, and the worry grew more and more between each "check-in". The support group helped immensely, though. It was so refreshing to hear others expressing concern over not hearing from family or friends. I seemed to be lucky. The guys were able to touch base more often than many others in the group. And boy was I grateful for that.

Suddenly it was time to start my senior year of college. Donna was sad that my schedule became more restrictive, but was, as always, extremely supportive. Bridget was so glad to be in her last year of school. I could understand why, especially since she had been there a year longer than I had. She spent some time with her family in Kentucky at the end of the summer, and came back with a renewed spirit, determined to rock her last year.

But in early September, things changed. She became distant from me, started skipping classes, and called in sick to work several times. I couldn't get her to talk to me, and I didn't know how to fix it. I spent nearly a day trying to convince myself to ask Les if something had happened between them, and just before I could, he emailed me. Apparently, she hadn't been responding to his emails, and he was worried about her. That made two of us.

September 11th gave me an excuse to force Bridget to get out of the apartment for a change. She hadn't been anywhere in more than a week, and I told her I needed to commiserate with someone over the fateful events of that day two years earlier. We headed to Frida's Cantina, a local dive that was only a few miles from Abuela Rosa and Grandma Mazur's houses. I planned to fill her full of fajitas and margaritas and get her to open up to me about what was bothering her.

With a large margarita in front of us and our fajita order in, Bridget and I munched on the best chips and salsa in Miami. She had been quiet since we left the apartment, and I wasn't sure how to start the conversation. In an effort to get things moving, I lifted my margarita and said, "To Les and Carlos, our soldiers." Bridget offered me a small smile, clinked her glass against mine, and took a sip.

"Speaking of the guys, have you heard from Les recently?" I asked in an effort to get her talking.

"Um, yeah, I got an email from him the other day. I haven't responded yet." She didn't make eye contact, and it was really concerning me.

"Why haven't you responded, Bridge? Are you ok?" I whispered.

"I don't know."

"You don't know what? Why you didn't respond, or whether you're ok?"

"Whether I'm ok."

"You've gotta give me more than that. _What_ is wrong? Please! You can tell me anything, Bridget."

"I know, but I can't."

"Why can't you?"

Bridget sat silent for so long, I didn't think she was going to answer me. "I really like Miami, Steph. I miss my family and I love Kentucky, but I just...I really like Miami."

I didn't say anything, hoping she would continue. "I don't know what to do, Steph."

"Bridget, you're a good person. Do what you think is the right thing to do."

She took several more drinks of her margarita before she seemed to get the nerve to continue.

"Steph. Steph, Mark is going to try to start his own company."

"Oookay."

"And, he plans to do it by stealing some of Donna's largest clients."

"How does he think he can pull that off?"

"He's been feeding some of the more lucrative clients a line about Donna misusing deposits and buying cheaper product than what they contracted for. He's trying to ruin her reputation and sink her business. I also suspect he might be doctoring the books some."

"Why do you think that? And how do you know he's been saying that stuff about Donna? Do these clients believe him?"

"Well, I was at a meeting with him and a client who Donna has always serviced herself. It was Brooks Brothers…you know, the one with like five locations throughout Miami?"

"Yes, I know Brooks Brothers. Ed Brooks has always dealt with Donna. In fact, she and I just finished a new design for the President's office at his downtown headquarters. Why would he even be talking to Mark?"

"Well, apparently Mark called him and convinced him to go to dinner. I don't know how he got him there, I just know he did, and he took me along. Anyway, I excused myself to go to the restroom after we finished our appetizers, and when I was returning, I overheard him mention Donna's name, and for some reason I paused. The booth they were sitting in was in an alcove of sorts, so they couldn't see me where I was standing. Then I heard Mark say that Donna had been using generic products in several of her designs, and convincing the clients that they were genuine. Mr. Brooks scoffed at Mark, but then Mark said that Donna just put a fake leather couch in an office downtown, but convinced the business owner that it was worth five grand."

"We _did_ put a genuine Italian leather sofa in the office for Brooks Brothers that cost five grand. So he told Mr. Brooks we charged him for real and gave him fake?"

"Yep, and let me tell you, when I returned, the anger on Mr. Brooks' face was very visible. But before I sat down, Mark mentioned that he was going to be starting his own company in the next couple of months, and that he would never cheat a client. He hoped Mr. Brooks would consider giving him a chance with his next design project."

"Wow."

"I know. But there's more."

"God, it couldn't get worse."

Bridget sat silent. Well, crap. Maybe it could?

"Steph, he offered me a partnership position with his new company. He told me all about it on the drive home. We had ridden together to the meeting, and he took advantage of the time in the car to try to convince me to come along. He told me how talented he thought I was, and then after placing his hand on my thigh, said he thought we would make great partners. I know I can be naïve at times, but I'm pretty certain he meant more than just business partners."

"Well, it sure sounds like it. He knows about Les, but obviously he has no scruples, so I don't think he would let that stand in the way. What did you say to him?"

"I told him I would have to think about it. I didn't know what to say. I decided that night I was going to tell Donna the next day. I went in early to try and catch her before Mark got in, but she wasn't there. And when she did get in, I was extremely nervous about going in there, because Mark seemed to always be around. And the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if she'd even believe me—Mark's been there a long time, a lot longer than I have.

"Well, after work, I tried to hang around until he was gone, but he just wasn't leaving, so I left. When I got to the parking lot, he somehow caught up to me and cornered me against the car. He rubbed his crotch—which wasn't soft, by the way—against me and told me he had been thinking about me all day. And that he couldn't wait to make our partnership official. He said that part with a thrust into me. Then, he grabbed me by the back of my neck and forced a kiss on me. When he finally removed his tongue from my throat he said, 'It wouldn't be a good idea to refuse me, Bridget'. It scared the crap out of me, Steph! So I'm scared, and I miss Les, and I know I should have told Donna by now, but I haven't, and every day that passes I feel worse. What if she loses her business because of me?"

"Bridge, relax. Donna has an amazing reputation in Miami. She might have to do a little damage control, but I don't think she'll lose her business. As for Mark, I would be scared too. But you can't let him get away with it. You can't let him get away with basically attacking you, and you can't let him get away with trying to damage Donna's business and steal her clients."

"So what do I do? I'm afraid if I waltz in and tell Donna, it'll be Mark's word against mine, and she'll think I'm trying to stir up trouble."

"Let me think." We sat lost in our thoughts for a few moments before our fajitas arrived. As we dug into our meal, I was racking my brain for the best way to handle this.

"Let's go talk to Grandma Mazur and Abuela Rosa after dinner, Bridge. Maybe they'll have some ideas—even though they don't have a lot of business experience, they've been around a lot longer than we have, and have a lot of accumulated wisdom from dealing with people".

"Ok. I miss them anyway, so it'll be good to see them. We haven't been over there in forever."

"I know. But those party animals are just never home," I said with a smile. It was true. Abuela Rosa and Grandma Mazur were almost never home these days. They were always out and about together doing one thing or another. I hadn't even seen Grandma since the day after they got back from their cruise. I had gone over and been filled in on all their adventures on the ship, but since then we hadn't connected except by phone. I missed them too.

After Bridget's tale about Mark, I quit drinking my margarita and passed it off to her. I wanted to be clear-headed, especially since I was the driver. I didn't know the best way to handle the situation, and after my experience with Aaron, I could totally understand her fear of Mark. Once we finished eating, we headed over to Abuela's house.

Thankfully, both grandmothers were at Abuela's house. Even better, Mari, Alex, and Benji were there too. I hadn't seen them since the beginning of the summer because they'd been traveling a lot, and it was amazing to me how much Benji had changed. He was a year and a half old, and already had such an amazing personality. When we walked in the door he yelled "Hi!", and Bridget smiled the first real smile I had seen on her in weeks. We were greeted by hugs all around, and Grandma announced that we were just in time for dessert. Since we had skipped it at the restaurant, we quickly accepted.

With everyone at the table enjoying a cup of coffee and a piece of pineapple upside-down cake, we sought the advice of the people we trusted most. Bridget told her story, just as she had told it to me at the restaurant. Mari had a concerned frown on her face, and when Bridget told them of the incident by her car, Alex looked like he could kill Mark with his bare hands. Based on his reaction, I could understand why she hadn't responded to Les' emails: he would have been going crazy and wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

When Bridget's story was finished, the room was silent except for Benji's little happy noises as he ate his cake. A kid after my own heart.

After a moment, Abuela Rosa stood up. I thought maybe she was going to clear the table, but instead she walked over and gave Bridget a huge hug. "Mija, you must tell your boss what this man is doing. If she doesn't believe you, she's a fool. But _you_ know that you're a good person, and you cannot live with a lie. And you must not let yourself be alone with this Mark again. What he's done to you already is very disturbing, and he sounds dangerous."

Bridget hugged her back, and I heard her swallow a sob. "I'm scared, but I'm sure you're right. I just don't know how to approach her with something like this."

Concern written all over her face, Mari said, "Maybe I can help."

"How?" Bridget and I asked in unison.

"Steph, you and Donna have a great relationship. What if you talked to her when you two are out for one of your meetings? Suggest that she let me look over the bookkeeping so I can check to see if Mark is really stealing from the company. Then you could suggest dropping in on all of her top clients. Make sure that they're all happy with your service, and see if they have any questions about recent work."

"That's a good idea, Mari. Should I also tell Donna about Mark trying to steal clients, and sexually harassing Bridget?"

"Yes. You need to tell her the whole story, but you need to make sure she doesn't confront Mark. Trying to steal clients is slimy, but not illegal. But embezzling is. Bridget could sue over the harassment, but if I can find evidence that he's doctored the books, then we can completely destroy him, instead of letting _him_ destroy Donna."

Bridget stood and moved to Mari, pulling her up from her chair and wrapping her into a hug. She dissolved into tears and whispered "Thank you". Mari's response of "Of course, sweetie. You're family," brought tears to my eyes. I loved this family.

XXXXXXXXX

Bridget turned out to be right. Mark _was_ stealing money, and apparently had been for quite a while. Donna was completely shocked when I told her the story the next day. After talking with Bridget, she immediately put Mari's suggestions into effect, bringing her in as a contracted accountant, and gave her full access to all of the company's records. It took Mari a week of nearly non-stop work, but she found more than a million dollars that Mark had skimmed.

We also made several drop-in visits to our biggest clients, and quickly straightened out the mess that Mark had tried to cause. Thankfully, most hadn't believed him anyway. I knew Donna had a good reputation, and that just confirmed it. By October 1st, Mark was arrested and charged with embezzlement.

Bridget had gone back to class; she made up what she'd missed and was back on track. She emailed Les and told him the whole story, apologizing profusely for not telling him sooner. Judging by his response, if he'd been in Miami, he _would_ have strangled Mark with his bare hands. Donna partnered Bridget with Judy, a junior partner, and they hit it off immediately. All was well again.

The morning of my birthday, Bridget woke me up extremely early. I would have been angry, but she woke me with coffee and Boston cream donuts, so I instantly forgave her. Without even letting me enjoy them, she grabbed my hand, dragged me to the living room, and sat me in front of the computer. I was grumping about the ungodly hour and asking what the heck "Skype" was, when I heard the most beautiful sound:

Carlos' voice!

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	53. Chapter 53

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there! I can't believe I have ALMOST 1,000 reviews!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

**In case you didn't know—I sure didn't—when Skype started out in 2003, it only offered support for voice calls. They didn't add video conferencing until 2006.**

_Previously:_

_The morning of my birthday, Bridget woke me up extremely early. I would have been angry, but she woke me with coffee and Boston cream donuts, so I instantly forgave her. Without even letting me enjoy them, she grabbed my hand, dragged me to the living room, and sat me in front of the computer. I was grumping about the ungodly hour and asking what the heck "Skype" was, when I heard the most beautiful sound: _

_Carlos' voice!_

**Ch. 53**

I could hardly believe my ears! Short of seeing him, or having him here to wrap me in his arms, hearing his voice was _the _next best thing. "Carlos!" I breathed.

"Hey, Babe."

My hands flewto my mouth to catch my sob. "It's so good to hear your voice. Are you ok? How did you arrange this? How long do we have?"

He gave a soft chuckle at my explosion of questions.

"It's really good to hear your voice too, Babe. Some of the guys have been using Skype to talk to their families, and I thought this would be a great way for me to wish you a happy birthday. I emailed Bridget a couple of weeks ago and she handled downloading it. She also promised to make sure you were up in time to talk to me."

My eyes flew to Bridget, who smiled, set my cup of coffee on the desk beside me, and left the room, eating one of my donuts. Normally, that would be grounds for a huge fight, but I had the feeling I would forgive her just about anything right now.

"She just ate my donut."

"Kill her later, Babe. I've got extra time, but it's still limited."

"How are you? Do you know when you're coming home yet?" I was bouncing in my seat. I couldn't believe I was talking to him.

"Yes, I have a timeline for you."

I could sense some uncertainty in his voice.

"Are you coming home soon?" I whispered.

"I'll be home in January, but only for about ten days."

I felt my heart drop to my stomach. "You only get a ten day break? Why would they go to the trouble to fly you home, if they're just going to send you back ten days later?" I was trying to be understanding, but I couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Babe, they aren't sending me back here."

"They're not? Where are they sending you?"

"I've been strongly encouraged to get some additional training. All the higher-ups have been very impressed with my skills, so I'll be stateside, going through a few more training programs."

I sighed in relief. At least he would be safe.

"I'll start with Airborne school back at Fort Benning, and I'll be there for three weeks before I have another break. I'm not sure how long that break will be, but I know I'll have more training after that. Those details still need to be fleshed out. Hopefully I'll know everything for sure when I come home in January."

I sighed, "Home."

"Yeah, Babe. Home... with you. And I plan to make every minute I have with you count, so you might want to take some time off work."

"You can count on it, Batman," I said, smiling even though he couldn't see me. I heard his chuckle and my smile grew bigger.

We talked for the next twenty minutes, most of which was spent with him reassuring me that he was being as careful as possible, and reminding me how much he loved me. I told him repeatedly how much I loved _him_ and couldn't wait to be in his arms again. With a promise of "Soon", we had to disconnect the session.

Determined not to be sad on my birthday, I planted a smile on my face and set off to find my friend who had helped arrange the best gift I could receive. And to get a donut!

XXXXXXXXXXX

Time seemed to fly after my birthday. I was counting the days until January 8th, when Carlos would be home! And between preparing for finals, a huge project at work, and the holidays, the days moved by quickly. On more than one occasion, I collapsed into bed fully dressed, unable to change before exhaustion took over.

Donna had kept me busy with several projects, and now I was consumed by a design for a new office building downtown. It had seven floors, and at the top was a penthouse apartment for the CEO of the company. An extremely wealthy gentleman, especially for only being 30, he ran his Fortune 500 computer software firm with an iron fist. He had known Donna for a couple of years; in fact, Lands' Designs had designed the interior of his last two buildings. He wanted something slightly different this time and, shockingly, Donna appointed me as the lead. I had until just before the New Year to finalize the designs for all seven floors. Our presentation would be January 2nd, and Donna wanted enough time to review and make any changes necessary.

Normally, our projects moved a little faster, but the CEO, Mr. O'Connell, was going to be traveling for several weeks over the holidays. I appreciated the extra time, and was a nervous wreck with the pressure of performing for this important client.

Thanksgiving was spent with Abuela Rosa and Grandma Mazur. Bridget decided to head to Kentucky to see her family, while Mari, Alex, and Baby Benji traveled to Colorado to visit Mari's family. The plan was for us all to spend Christmas together in Jersey, but with my new assignment at work, I wasn't sure I would be able to make it.

Between finals and the time crunch of the O'Connell project, my nerves were shot. I had about 85 percent of the design finished, but I was struggling with the apartment. He was a single man, exuded power and class, and I assumed he would want his home to portray a feeling of serenity. If I was in a high-power position, I would want to come home to "calm". My struggle was to figure out how to get that calm feeling right for a man.

The week before Christmas I spent locked in my office at work. Donna had upgraded my workspace from a cubicle to an office as a birthday gift to me. Plus, she said I needed more space for the extra responsibilities I would be getting throughout the year and upon graduation. I didn't object. While I never complained about a cubicle, it was nice to be able to close the door and focus when needed, and the week before Christmas, I needed to focus!

I spent hours poring over fabrics, paint colors, furniture pieces, and the like. I was practically cross-eyed after a week locked in my office, but by two days before Christmas I felt confident in the designs I had pulled together to show Mr. O'Connell. I had regretfully told my family and the Manosos that I wouldn't be making it to New Jersey for Christmas. This account was a big deal, and being lead on it meant the world to me. It would help solidify my place in the company. Not that I was overly worried about that, as Donna had told me countless times how much she valued me, but I needed this...for me. I needed it so I _felt_ worthy of the praise she gave me. So even though I finished a little earlier than planned, I knew I wanted to be in Miami the day after Christmas, to give it one last look before handing it all over to Donna for review.

Christmas morning I woke up completely out of sorts. Bridget was in Kentucky, and I had spent Christmas Eve watching _It's A Wonderful Life_ and crying my eyes out missing Carlos. I had gotten an email from him that morning telling me all he wanted for Christmas was me, and how much he loved and missed me; that started the crying. Abuela Rosa and Grandma Mazur were heading to New Jersey Christmas morning, as that was the cheapest flight, but refused a ride to the airport, telling me to sleep in instead. While their thoughtfulness was not completely unexpected, I was still shocked that they didn't want to see me Christmas morning.

There it was again—a noise! I _knew_ I hadn't woken up at 7:45 on my own. I mentally groaned at the early hour, especially considering that it had been well after midnight before I fell asleep. As the fog started to clear, the thought flew through my head: who could possibly be in my apartment? Everyone I was really close to in Miami wasn't there, with the exception of Donna, and I couldn't see her breaking into my apartment. I extricated myself from the blankets and slowly crept to the bedroom door to see if I could hear who was out there. With my ear pressed against the wood, I strained to hear anything, but there was only silence. Mustering what little patience I had, I waited, and a few moments later, I heard noises again. There was a slight clanging, as if someone was moving...dishes? And whispered voices.

I grabbed my trusty DeMarini bat from my bag near the closet, and opened the door as quietly as possible. I crept down the hall, holding my breath, as if that would keep the intruders from hearing me. Pulling my fists back and readying myself, I jumped around the corner of the hall and swung with all my strength, screaming like a banshee.

Thankfully, my father had good reflexes and was able to jump out of the way of my—according to ESPN—"powerful" swing, and so the only contact I made was with the wall. I stood frozen in shock at what was in front of me. My entire family was in my apartment!

My mother's high-pitched screech was enough to knock me out of my stupor. "Good Lord, Stephanie, what on Earth are you thinking? You could have taken your father's head off! And on Christmas, no less!"

"What am _I_ doing!? I thought you were intruders! What are you doing in my apartment...in Miami?!"

"We thought we'd surprise you," Val said as she worked to lift her pregnant body from a dining room chair.

"Val, should you even be traveling? Gosh, you look amazing!"

Val's grin would have lit my Christmas tree, if I had one. "Thanks, Steph. I feel like a cow! My doctor said it was ok, as long as I made sure to keep my feet elevated as much as possible."

"Here, why don't you go sit on...the...couch," I stammered as I turned toward the living room. There stood a beautiful, live Christmas tree, with Joe and Angie decorating it.

"Hey, Steph," Joe said when he saw me staring.

"Aunie Seffie, Aunie Seffie!" Angie shouted, running to me. Holy cow, she was adorable! She looked just like Val, and had grown a foot since July!

"Hey, Ange," I said, swinging her up into my arms for a bear hug.

"We 'prise you?" she asked in her sweet little two-and-a-half year old voice.

"You sure did surprise me, baby girl. I'm so glad you're all here!"

"We fy on a big pane!"

"You did?"

"Mm hm!" she answered, with a huge grin.

"Down," she added, wiggling out of my arms and then running back to Joe. Guess she was finished with me.

I helped Val get comfortable, placing a pillow on the coffee table for her to rest her feet on, and then moved back toward the kitchen and my parents. When I rounded the corner, I saw Grandma Mazur was also in the kitchen.

"Grandma! I thought you left this morning for Trenton?"

"Well, now, why would I do that, Baby Granddaughter? Especially when I knew these guys were coming down here to surprise you!"

"That explains why you didn't want me to drive you to the airport. What about Abuela Rosa?"

"Rosie's at her house with the Manosos. They flew down on the same flight with your folks."

I felt my knees growing weak, and leaned on the chair Val had been using.

"They're all here?" I could feel the lump in my throat blocking my voice, and the tears in my eyes were threatening to fall.

"Of course they're all here, Pumpkin. None of us could bear the thought of you spending Christmas alone. We all know how important your job is to you, so we figured if you couldn't come to Trenton, we'd come to you."

My dad's words pushed me over the edge. I had been so lonely the night before, and the thought of spending Christmas alone was very daunting. To wake up to my family—I couldn't begin to put into words how much it meant to me!

"Stephanie dear, show me where you keep your mixer and then go get freshened up. The Manosos will be here for breakfast in about an hour."

I pulled out my hand mixer—ok, Bridget's mixer—and gave it to my mom with a sheepish smile, before turning tail and hustling to get ready for the day.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The only thing that could have made Christmas better would have been having Carlos there. I missed him terribly, but his family helped to fill the void with stories of his childhood. We laughed together over some of his exploits, and my mother chimed in more than once, comparing my own adventures with his. We really were two of a kind.

My family stayed at Grandma Mazur's house during their two-day visit, and the Manosos stayed with Abuela Rosa. I was so glad to have them all in such close proximity, and felt like I was walking on air when I showed them my work on the O'Connell project. My dad loved the design for Mr. O'Connell's apartment, and said any gentleman would be proud to live in a place that classy.

When everyone left, two days after Christmas, I felt lonely but loved. My family's efforts at making me feel special would never be forgotten. And I was only two weeks away from Carlos' return. I could hardly wait!

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	54. Chapter 54

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there! I can't believe I have MORE THAN 1,000 reviews! You are all so amazing!**

**I made this chapter a little longer as an apology for the delay. I hope everyone had an amazing holiday! And thank you for continuing to follow along. It means the world to me!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you frequently, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

_Previously:_

_When everyone left, two days after Christmas, I felt lonely but loved. My family's efforts at making me feel special would never be forgotten. And I was only two weeks away from Carlos' return. I could hardly wait!_

**Ch. 54**

**Carlos' POV**

War is hell. No better way to put it than that! It certainly resembled Hell, if in nothing but temperature. The majority of the time it was extremely hot—so hot we were almost unable to breathe. When you added all our gear, it became overwhelming at times, especially when the wind picked up. Then you had the added pleasure of having sand caked in your eyes for days at a time. Like I said, it was hell. The worst part? I missed my Babe. I missed her captivating blue eyes that could light up a room; her sexy curls; her gorgeous curves; her naked body; her naked body on top of my naked body…God, I missed sex. Sex with my Babe!

When my Lieutenant began pushing me to get more training instead of taking a short leave and then returning to the pits of hell, I couldn't think of a better idea. A week or two break, during which I would do nothing but eat, drink, and have lots of incredible sex with my Babe. Then training for a few weeks, and then more sex with my Babe, and so on, until I was trained enough to be an Army Ranger. I agreed, and was told they would set it up, and all I had to do was show up where and when they told me. I wasn't sure if this was SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) or not, but I wasn't looking a gift horse in the mouth.

When I sat down with all the higher-ups, some of whom it seemed had more power than even the President himself, I'll admit I was a bit nervous. Turned out, I wasn't just going to be an Army Ranger: I was going to get just about every qualification under the sun. Full-fledged Special Forces would be my next step. What did that mean? This hell I had been living in for more than a year was nothing!

How the hell was I going to tell Stephanie?

When I got on my military flight to head home, I was shocked to see Lester and Bobby both there. Shocked and thrilled!

"Carlos, man, it's great to see you!" Bobby said as he pulled me into a quick "man-hug", as Steph would call it.

"How the hell did we all manage to be done at the same time?" Les asked. I wondered the same thing. We all had different start dates; it didn't seem plausible to me that we would all be on leave at the same time.

"Well, my trip home got delayed a couple months ago. We turned up some shit, and found out it was more than a pile, really a whole fucking truck load. Took forever to get a lid on it, but I think we finally eliminated that cell. One down, fifty-fucking million more to go."

"I was set to leave a couple weeks ago, but the wife of one of the guys in my squad had her baby. I gave up my seat so he could leave a few weeks early and filled in for him. Let me tell you, I can't fucking wait to get home. Bridget's been emailing me pictures of herself and telling me all the things she plans to do to me. She must be just as horny as I am, cause let me tell you…" and he just shook his head. I guess I wasn't the only one planning on lots of sex the next couple weeks.

"How long is your leave?"

"I've got ten days, then I report to Benning for some more training," Bobby said.

Lester and I both stared at him, and i

n unison answered, "Me too." Lester whipped his head around to me and the shock was evident on both of our faces.

"You have _got_ to be shittin' me," Bobby said.

"No fuckin' way," Les added. I just smiled.

We discussed our training and told war stories the rest of the long flight home. Les and I lucked out getting on the same leg to Miami, while Bobby headed north to New York. His mom was still there with his aunt, though he mentioned they might both move to Miami. His aunt was still having an incredibly hard time—rightfully so—and living in the house she had been in for all of her marriage was hindering any ability she had to move on after losing her husband.

Les and I discussed how we were going to tell Steph and Bridget what we had signed up for.

"Man, Bridget's gonna flip a lid. I'm not sure how she's going to handle it."

"Steph's been really supportive since the beginning, but I'm a little nervous about this too. It's not like we signed up for a walk in the park. The danger level is about to flippin' sky-rocket."

"Should we tell them right away, or wait until the end of our leave?" Les asked, completely unsure.

"I don't think we should wait. It's going to be rough, but I don't want it to seem like we kept it from them, you know?"

"Yeah, you're probably right," Les nodded.

We spent the last twenty minutes on the plane in silence, mentally preparing for the task ahead. When we arrived we headed toward the baggage claim area of Miami International Airport, to grab our duffels and look for our girls. We hadn't moved more than a few steps past the security line when we were attacked by two gorgeous women. I caught Stephanie mid-leap and crushed her to my body. She wrapped her legs around my waist and proceeded to kiss me with such passion, I thought I might take her right there.

XXXXXXXXXXX

**Stephanie's POV**

The week before Carlos' arrival was pure torture. I celebrated New Year's with Bridget, Grandma Mazur, and Abuela Rosa, baby-sitting Benji for Mari and Alex so they could go out. He truly is the perfect baby, so content and happy. We played trucks before he got tuckered out around nine. After Bridget kissed him and carried him to bed, we sat down and had a little girl talk.

"I bet you girlies can't wait to have your men home," Grandma Mazur said.

"Ugh, I've been waiting for weeks. Darn Les for being such a good guy and letting one of his buddies take his spot on the plane."

"What do you mean?" Rosa asked.

"Les was supposed to be home before Christmas. The wife of one of the guys in his squad had a baby, so Les gave him his spot on the plane and stayed to cover for him."

Abuela Rosa's face lit up: it was obvious she was proud of Lester. "That's my boy. Always doing the right thing."

"I'm proud of him, I just miss him like crazy!"

"I know what you mean," I agreed. "I can't wait for Carlos to get home. Wouldn't it be funny if they ended up on the same flight?"

We all laughed about that, knowing that if it did happen they would be shocked. I don't think they got to communicate with each other as much since Les' squad shifted their position a couple months ago.

We rang in the New Year together, toasting with a glass of champagne to a great 2004. Too tired, and a little tipsy from the champagne, we elected to spend the night at Abuela Rosa's house.

January 1st was spent running around like a chicken with its head cut off, at least for me. I was incredibly nervous about the meeting with Mr. O'Connell the next day. I had shown all my designs to just about everyone I knew, in an attempt to get their opinions. Everyone thought I had done a great job, and other than Grandma Mazur's suggestion of adding a little leopard print to the master bedroom, everyone thought it was perfect as designed. I could only hope that Mr. O'Connell agreed.

The morning of the 2nd couldn't have gone any worse than it did. I was a nervous wreck, and tried to calm myself down with a Boston crème and a latte. Of course, when a gigantic SUV cut me off and I spilled the latte down my white blouse, I definitely wasn't calm. I rushed back across town to change my suit. I didn't think it would give the best impression to show up for the meeting covered in coffee.

Thanks to traffic, I screeched into the parking garage mere minutes before the meeting was scheduled to begin. I took the elevator up to our office, and stumbled out of the elevator and into a very good-looking gentleman, who thankfully caught me before I fell to the ground. It was Mr. O'Connell. He gave me a heart-warming smile before asking, "Are you all right, Ms. Plum?"

"Yes, Mr. O'Connell. I'm fine, thank you. Just running behind and I'm terribly clumsy. Thank you for catching me."

"Any time," he replied, with an even brighter smile I couldn't help but return. "But call me David. 'Mr. O'Connell' makes me feel like I'm old."

"Only if you'll call me Stephanie."

"Done," he said, as he placed his hand on the small of my back and led me toward the conference room. I wasn't sure how to react to that gesture. Normally, I would smack away the hand, unless it belonged to Carlos. But this was a client. A very high-paying, bend-over-backwards-for client. I wasn't sure smacking away his hand would be very well received.

The moment we stepped into the conference room, I sidestepped, to allow him to take his seat—and to remove his hand. I excused myself to grab the remainder of his designs from my desk and hustled down the hall to my office. Once inside, I had to take a deep breath to steady myself. That had felt a little too overfamiliar to me.

Determined to remain professional, I grabbed my designs and headed back down the hall. Donna had found David in the conference room and they were talking as I walked in. David was telling Donna about his father still being disappointed in him: apparently he still wasn't successful enough in his eyes.

David's father, Thomas O'Connell, was one of the wealthiest businessmen in Miami. He had scored big working in real estate and invested very well, apparently. Even the collapse of Wall Street after 9/11 hadn't affected him, and he assumed that anyone that it _did_ affect just hadn't prepared properly. And poor David—nothing he did was good enough.

He had skipped a grade in high school and graduated as Valedictorian, with a full ride to Yale. He started college at 17, and within three years had his bachelor's degree. After graduating _summa cum laude_, he started his Master's in Business Administration immediately, finishing the three-year program in a year and a half. He again graduated _summa cum laude_ and was again Valedictorian for his class. He then moved to Miami to be closer to his mother, who was ill at the time, and got in on the ground floor of an up-and-coming computer software company. His superiors were impressed with him immediately and he rose within the ranks more rapidly than one would expect from a twenty-something. And, at the age of 29, he was named CEO and owned 51 percent of the company.

All of these accomplishments would make any normal parent proud enough to scream their son's successes to the mountaintops, but not Thomas O'Connell. When David skipped a grade and graduated as Valedictorian, his father said he was only Valedictorian because his newer classmates were idiots. His full ride to Yale was frowned upon because he didn't have to "earn" his way through school. Finishing his bachelor's in three years was just plain laziness: he could have done it in two and a half, if he'd tried harder. And an MBA was worthless in his father's eyes, as _he_ was a huge success with only a bachelor's degree. "What a waste of time and money," his father had said. And I thought my mom was bad!

When David and Donna noticed that I was back in the conference room, it was down to business. Donna sat and smiled as I took David through every inch of his seven-story building that we—ok, that I—had designed. I held my breath as I pulled out the designs for the seventh floor. This was the part that had caused me the most stress over the last two weeks, and I was equally excited and nervous to hear his reaction.

Once I explained our plans for it, Mr. O'Connell studied everything silently. His blank face was incredibly hard to read, and I felt sweat forming along my hairline as I waited for his thoughts.

"Hmmm," was the only thing he said.

"Is that a good 'hmmm', or a bad 'hmmm', David?" Donna asked with a smile.

"Well, it's a combination of both. It's definitely better than I expected, but I feel like it's missing something," he replied, his face still blank.

"Wh...what do you think might be missing?" I stuttered out, my face turning red with embarrassment.

"If I knew what was missing, believe me Miss Plum, I would tell you." Ok, I could understand why there were rumors of his coldness. And what happened to calling me Stephanie?

"Give me a few days to think about this, and I'll get back to you." He stood, ending the meeting. Taking Donna's hand in his, he gave it a kiss before saying, "Always such a pleasure, Donna." With a curt nod to me and a brief "Miss Plum", he saw himself out of the conference room.

"What just happened?" I asked myself.

"That was the all-business Mr. O'Connell," Donna said.

I hadn't realized I'd asked that question out loud. "But he was so friendly earlier. It's like he's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or something!"

"No, he's just very serious when it comes to business. Do you know how long it took to get him to call me 'Donna' instead of 'Miss Lands'? I had to remind him every single time we met for nearly six months. But don't make the mistake of calling him Mr. O'Connell to his face, or sir. He hates to be called either!"

"He corrected me earlier, but only said it made him feel old."

"It makes him think of his father. And believe me when I say he doesn't want to ever be thought of as his father."

"From what he said, I can understand why."

"Ok, let's get down to business, what could this possibly be missing?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Donna and I went through the designs for the seventh floor with a fine-tooth comb, and I had no idea what else I could have done. It had been days since we met with David O'Connell, and I feared the worst. Maybe he went with a different designer? Did I lose his business for Donna?

I had all but given up hope when he called on the morning of January 7th.

"Miss Plum; David O'Connell."

The office manager had transferred his call to my office without her normal heads-up to who was on the phone. I had just taken a drink of my coffee and nearly choked on it when he announced himself. After a minor coughing fit, I gathered my wits.

"David, please excuse me. I choked a little on my coffee. And please, call me Stephanie."

"Ah yes, Stephanie. I have reviewed the designs."

"Yes, sir." I mentally cringed when I realized I called him sir.

After clearing his throat, he continued. "Yes. And I still haven't determined what is missing from the design for my apartment. Have you come up with anything?"

"Well," I hesitated. I didn't want to say no, for fear he might think I hadn't been wracking my brain for days on his apartment, but I hadn't come up with anything. "I thought it might be best if we did a walk-through of the space. We can take the designs with us and visualize where everything will go. Perhaps that would help us to determine what we might be missing." I held my breath as I waited for his response.

"While not typical, I like it. I'm terribly busy for the next few days; what about the early evening on the 12th?"

Darn it! I was supposed to be off, spending my time with Carlos. But this was a huge account—could I really say no?

"Um," I eloquently replied.

"Do you have another obligation that day, Miss Plum?"

"Stephanie, please. And…sort of. I'm supposed to be taking some time off to spend with…a friend, who has been away for a year." Why did I just call Carlos "a friend"? He was so much more than that.

"Well…why don't you just bring your friend along, Miss...Stephanie?"

I had no idea how Carlos would feel about that, but I figured spending the time together would be better than apart. "All right, that would work. Should I meet you at the building at–" and before I could suggest a time, he responded.

"Four."

"Four works perfectly. I'll see you then, David."

"Goodbye, Miss Plum."

And he disconnected.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Bridget and I waited anxiously at the airport, just beyond where passengers would come out to head to baggage claim. It was as close to the gate as a non-ticketed passenger could wait. I wanted to see Carlos as soon as I could. It had been _forever_ since I felt his arms around me, and I didn't want to wait one second longer than I had to.

The second I spotted him, I sprinted over, and the moment his arms wrapped around me, I felt better than I had in what felt like forever. As our lips met and our tongues dueled, it took everything I had not to strip him down and ride him right there in the airport.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The first day Carlos was home was spent locked away in our room. We only stopped our sex-fest to refuel, and that was done naked and in bed. I had a full supply of healthy snacks, as well as a few not-so-healthy for me, and we would munch on them and hydrate with bottled water when we didn't have the energy left to continue. Then we would ravage each other again. We had been in bed for several hours when our sex turned back to lovemaking. I wasn't complaining about the sex—it had been a long time and I knew we both needed each other—but when we finally slowed down our frenzied, we-haven't-had-sex-in-_forever_ pace and made love, it was incredibly special. Carlos' beautiful, chocolate brown eyes held mine as he slipped inside me. We both sighed with pleasure; it was a feeling I would never get over—having him inside of me. I felt whole with him. Our pace was slowed, passionate and loving and filled with the words neither of us could verbalize. It was breathtaking and sweet and brought tears to my eyes. The whispered "I love you" as we climaxed together meant more to me than any other words he could have said.

Shortly after, wrapped in each other's arms, sleep claimed us. I hadn't slept that well since he left, and feared that all too soon, I wouldn't sleep that well again for a long, long time. The weekend was spent listening to Lester and Carlos tell Bridget and me stories of their exploits overseas—mostly funny stories about the people they were with, with only a few that brought out a blank face on both of them that I had never seen before. I couldn't imagine what they had been through, and was grateful they had come back to us. Whenever Bridget or I would bring up their upcoming training or what was going to happen after, the subject would quickly change, and telling looks would pass between them. I had a feeling, and it wasn't a good one.

I spent the early afternoon of the 12th getting ready for the meeting with David. Carlos had reluctantly agreed to join me, but only because I promised him dessert in bed later. The Manosos would be arriving in Miami later that week, to spend Carlos' last few days off with us, and I knew he wanted as much alone time with me before then as possible. And I wanted that alone-time too. If I thought I could have gotten out of the meeting with David, I would have.

When we arrived at the building, there was no sign of anyone else there. Since the design approval was on hold until we figured out whatever I missed in David's apartment, no work was being done. Carlos had gone over the plans I drew up and said he was impressed with all the details I had worked through. He couldn't figure out what was missing from the apartment either: as he said, I touched on _everything_.

Carlos and I were wrapped in an embrace, with him whispering his exact plans for dessert into my ear, when a throat cleared behind us. I jumped slightly, caught off-guard, and blushed as I realized I had completely forgotten why we were even at the building in the first place.

"David," I said, more breathy than I would have liked.

"Miss Plum," came his reply, with a puzzled look on his face. My wits weren't completely about me yet, as my head was still clouded by thoughts of ice cream coating certain body parts, when he introduced himself to Carlos.

"David O'Connell. You must be the friend Stephanie mentioned joining her today."

I spared a glance at Carlos' face and the look spoke volumes. I could see him thinking, "Friend?!"

"Carlos Manoso," he replied, taking David's hand to shake. They stayed locked in the handshake longer than I would have thought normal, before breaking contact.

"Stephanie, shall we go inside?" David asked.

"Of course. Did you want to review the entire building or just the seventh floor?"

"Just the seventh. I still can't determine what is missing."

The ride up to the top floor was filled with tension. Carlos hadn't even so much as taken my hand since David called him my "friend", and I could feel the anger radiating off of him. When the elevator _finally_ opened on the top floor, I felt like my lungs would explode from holding my breath.

Carlos stepped out first, and David put his hand on my lower back again, to encourage me to follow. The look on Carlos' face when he noticed nearly made me wet myself. He was not happy. David lowered his hand to unlock the door that would lead to his apartment, and I decided this would not continue. I stepped next to Carlos and took his hand. Thankfully, he allowed me to hold it. When David turned to us after opening the door, I saw something flash in his eyes before quickly disappearing.

"After you, Miss Plum," David said, extending his arm suggesting I lead the way. I didn't release Carlos' hand, instead pulling him in behind me. The apartment was a completely blank canvas. It had been stripped, waiting for instructions, and the only thing remaining was a small table in what would be the living room. I led us there and laid out the plans for David's review. Carlos gave me a quick peck on the cheek before whispering, "I'm going to have a quick look around while you finish up your business with Mr. O'Connell." I gave him a pleading look, before nodding my acquiescence.

David and I talked through each room in his apartment. He complimented me on my choice in fabrics and furniture, saying it was extremely classy without being too pretentious. With a heavy sigh, David conceded that he couldn't think of anything else that would make the apartment better, and pulled out the contract to sign for design work to begin.

Just as he was about to put pen to paper, Carlos spoke up. "Have you thought about security?"

"Excuse me?" David asked, clearly perplexed.

"Carlos—" Before I could ask what he was doing, he continued.

"Have you thought about how you would secure the building? If it's to house your office and all of your personal property, have you thought about how you'll make sure it's all secure?"

"To be honest, no. What would you suggest?"

Carlos spent about ten minutes talking to him about how he would secure it if it were _his_ building. I know my mouth was open in awe, and David looked to be genuinely intrigued.

"Can I take the two of you to dinner? Then Carlos can tell me more of how he plans to make this happen."

"Sir, I'm only in Miami for six more days, I couldn't..."

"Don't call me sir!" David barked, then cleared his throat. "Please, just call me David. And six days is plenty of time. I will pay you handsomely to organize it all."

Carlos looked at me, as if asking for permission, and I simply smiled and shrugged.

"I'll make some calls and see what I can do, si...David. And as for dinner, I'm sorry, but Stephanie and I already have plans. Perhaps later this week, once I know more."

"All right. How does Wednesday evening sound? That gives you two days."

Carlos gave a nod, before pulling me into his side and draping an arm over my shoulder. "Where should we meet you?"

"I'll send a car for you. How does Caffe Vialetto in Coral Gables sound?"

"Oh, I've heard their fettuccini is delicious!" I replied, my stomach speaking for my brain. "That sounds wonderful."

"But I can drive us there," Carlos protested.

"Nonsense. The car will arrive at Miss Plum's apartment at six. Please just pass your address along to my secretary."

Before Carlos could protest again, I answered for us. "Thank you, David. We'll see you Wednesday evening."

We left the building and climbed into my Jeep, with Carlos behind the wheel. "Where to now, Babe?"

"Home, Batman. I think we should skip dinner and head straight to dessert."

"You read my mind, Babe," he said before rocketing the car off the curb and towards our apartment. I knew we would get back to the 'friend' comment from earlier, but before then I wanted my dessert!

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	55. Chapter 55

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! To all the guest reviews, I really appreciate your support and thank you so much for letting me know you are out there! I can't believe I have MORE THAN 1,000 reviews! You are all so amazing!**

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), I know I thank you daily, but really…YOU'RE THE BEST! Thanks for everything. **

**I apologize for the delay. I hope you are all still with me!**

_Previously:_

"_You read my mind, Babe," he said before rocketing the car off the curb and towards our apartment. I knew we would get back to the 'friend' comment from earlier, but before then...dessert!_

**Ch. 55**

**Stephanie's POV**

Dessert was blissfully amazing! And definitely the most orgasmic ice cream I've ever had. After dessert we made love well into the night, not letting sleep claim us for hours. When I awoke the next morning, the sun was shining brightly and the bed next to me was empty. A quick glance at the alarm clock showed me it was just after nine, so I forced myself up and to the bathroom to answer nature's call and calm what I knew would be crazy bed-head.

After nearly screaming at the sight in the mirror, I decided a shower was the only thing that was going to fix what I saw before me, and quickly started the water. A sigh escaped my lips as the warm spray hit my back. The thing about marathon love-making sessions with Carlos is, they leave my muscles more sore than a week of doubleheaders in softball.

I had just lathered my hair with shampoo when I felt a slight breeze and then a warm body pulling me closer to him.

"Morning, Babe," Carlos said, nuzzling my neck and pressing his delicious body into mine. I could feel his length pushing against my ass, and couldn't help but push back and rub against him. I heard his sharp intake of breath before he sucked the sensitive skin of my neck into his mouth, no doubt marking me as his...again.

His right hand reached around and cupped my mound, while his left hand traveled up to my breasts, paying equal attention to both. He continued to kiss up and down my neck, bringing me to a quick release. I was still coming down from my orgasm when he bent me over and entered me from behind. The combination of the hot water and Carlos thrusting in and out of me caused me to orgasm again. His name echoed off the walls as he continued to thrust harder and faster. His breathing became labored, matching mine until, with a flick of my clit and a whispered, "Come with me, Babe," we were both tumbling over the edge, shouting each other's name.

Carlos kept his arms tightly around me and his forehead pressed into the center of my back as we both caught our breath. After what felt like hours, my breathing returned to normal and I righted myself and turned into his embrace.

"I swear, I'll never get enough of you, Stephanie," Carlos said, kissing me deeply.

"I hope not," I replied with a smile as we came up for air. We held each other for several long minutes until the water started to cool. I quickly rinsed the remaining shampoo from my hair and rushed through conditioning it and then washing my body. The water had just reached freezing when we were both clean enough to get out.

We dressed in comfortable silence and then Carlos left the bathroom as I dried my hair and applied a light coat of foundation and a swipe of mascara. When I joined him in the kitchen, Carlos was using my laptop and enjoying a cup of coffee. I poured myself a cup before pulling out a skillet and the container of eggs. While I'm not much of a cook, I _can_ scramble eggs.

"Would you like some eggs, Carlos?"

"Sure. That'd be great, Babe. Thanks."

I grabbed a bowl and cracked one whole egg, and then separated out five more whites only. I can't eat just the whites, but including one whole egg gives it enough flavor. I added some salt and pepper and a touch of milk and mixed them up with a fork, then threw a few pieces of bread in the toaster. The toast finished a few seconds before the eggs, and I distributed them between two plates and took it all to the table to join Carlos.

He closed my laptop and we ate for a while in silence. Then Carlos asked the question I knew was coming.

"Want to tell me why you told O'Connell I was your 'friend' instead of 'boyfriend', Babe?"

I forced myself to swallow. I had hoped Carlos would forget that comment. It really was innocent; I only hoped I could explain it without causing an argument.

"Carlos, you have to know that I didn't mean it like that. I was trying to remain professional, and didn't want to sound like a teenager saying I couldn't meet with a client because my boyfriend was visiting. I explained to him that a friend that I hadn't seen in a long time was going to be in town, and that I didn't think I could make the meeting date he proposed. I didn't want to take away from our time together. When he said to just bring you along, I didn't want to explain that it was really my boyfriend. I'm sorry. You must know how important you are to me, Carlos."

He studied me with his serious chocolate eyes, before giving me a small smile and a nod. "I understand, Babe. And I would never doubt your loyalty to me. It just caught me by surprise. O'Connell has the hots for you, Babe, not that I can blame him. But I don't share, and it took all my self-control to not make that known right then and there."

"What makes you think he has the hots for me? And for the record, I don't share either. And I would never cheat."

"Good to know, Babe. Neither would I." He paused for a minute, as if debating how to continue, before saying, "It's obvious he's interested in you. I can tell by the way he looks at you. Again, I can't blame him, but you're mine."

Normally such a "caveman" statement would set me off, but it was the truth: I was his and he was mine. "I don't care who has 'the hots' for me, I don't want anyone but you."

Instead of responding with words, Carlos pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss that quickly turned into more. It was a good thing Les and Bridget had gone to see Alex, Mari, and Benji the night before, or else they would have witnessed the defiling of the dining table. And it was a most thorough defiling!

XXXXXXXX

Wednesday evening arrived quickly, but Carlos was more than prepared for our dinner with O'Connell. When David had mentioned he would send a car to take us to dinner, I didn't expect the huge, beautiful, black stretch limo that arrived precisely at six, just as he had promised. Carlos led me down the stairs to the parking lot, and I couldn't help but admire his incredibly fine ass. He wore a black suit, and boy, did it fit him! He offset it with a charcoal gray dress shirt and a black silk tie. He had scoffed at my suggestion of a tie, but when I told him it was a requirement for the restaurant, he reluctantly agreed. I will admit that I watched him knot it, and had to check my chin for drool. He was just too sexy.

I wore a black pencil skirt that hit a couple of inches above the knee, with a blue silk blouse that Carlos assured me did amazing things for my eyes, and promised to slowly peel off me later. The ride to Caffè Vialetto in Coral Gables was spent with me fidgeting and Carlos assuring me that everything would go fine. He had shown me the security plans he drew up, and assured me the vendors he would be suggesting were top-notch, and would handle the project with speed and efficiency. The drive took only 45 minutes thanks to light traffic—OK, light for Miami on a weeknight—and we were immediately shown to our table, where David was waiting.

David stood to shake Carlos' hand as we walked up, and acknowledged me with the same gesture. "Stephanie, Carlos, thank you for joining me. I'm anxious to see what you have for me."

"Our pleasure, David," Carlos replied. "Would you like to see the plans now?"

"No, no, let's order first, and then we can get down to business." David gestured to a waiter who hustled over, eager to serve.

"Mr. O'Connell, sir, what may we prepare for you and your guests this evening?" The somewhat icy stare David gave him before ordering told me just how much he hated being called "Mr. O'Connell" and "sir", but he didn't correct him.

"I'll have the carpaccio rolatini to start, followed by the Vialetto risotto, and then the short ribs." David ordered as if he ate there all the time. Either that or he had gotten there really early and perused the menu.

Thankfully, Carlos ordered next, because I couldn't make up my mind. "I'll start with the salmon sashimi. And then the Caribbean risotto, followed by your filet, please." I found myself so distracted by the smile Carlos gave our waiter as he handed back his menu that I nearly forgot what I had decided on ordering.

"And for you, miss?"

"Yes, I'd like to start with the scallop provolone, please." After a nod, I continued, "Followed by the pasta del ano, and then the filet, please."

"Very good choices. Your meals will be out shortly. Can I interest anyone in a glass of wine, or perhaps a bottle?"

Before Carlos or I could respond, David spoke up saying, "Give us your best Merlot." The waiter gave a quick nod and headed toward the kitchen. "The Merlot will go very nicely with your filets."

"Ok, Carlos. Impress me," David said as he leaned casually back in his chair.

Carlos pulled out the plans he had drawn up, and spread them on the edge of the table between his seat and David's. And then, the Carlos I knew morphed into a new Carlos—Businessman Carlos—and took David step-by-step through the plans. Each time it seemed like David was going to ask a question, Carlos would say something that anticipated it. The only pauses in conversation came as each course was set on the table, and then a pause or two when I couldn't hold back a moan. The food was absolutely to die for!

When Carlos would pause to eat, David seemed lost in thought as he mulled over what Carlos was proposing. It wasn't until we were half-finished with our main course that the entire plan had been reviewed.

"Carlos, I said impress me. You have done _more_ than impress me. Are you interested in coming to work for me?" David chuckled after that, which made me wonder if he was truly joking.

"Thank you...David." I could tell Carlos nearly called him "sir". "This is something that I definitely enjoy, and I was happy to be able to help you. I'm confident that these companies I've suggested will do a thorough job."

"There is one question that you haven't answered for me," David said. "Once everything's set up, who will monitor it? What good does a system this elaborate do me, if no one is on top of everything?"

"I worked for a company before joining the army—Floyd's security—and the owner, Mike, has been working on expanding his business. It's a small company, but I know the guys and they take tremendous pride in their work. I'm sure they would do a great job for you."

There was a long pause while David thought it over. I placed my left hand on Carlos' thigh and gave a gentle squeeze. I was so proud of him.

"All right," David finally said. "I'll give this Mike guy a shot. Thank you for setting all this up, Carlos."

"My pleasure, sir."

We all froze. Carlos had called David "sir", and all the air seemed to be sucked away from the table. After an awkward silence, David announced that we needed dessert. And as full as I was, I couldn't pass that up!

He ordered a tiramisu for each of us, and he and Carlos discussed a few more details regarding the start of the work on David's building. They wrapped up the business just as David paid the check. He wished us a good evening as Carlos and I headed back to the limo. I had a slight buzz going from the two glasses of wine I had consumed at dinner. I wasn't much of a drinker, and normally wouldn't choose red wine, but David had been right: it went very well with the filet. It also went straight to my head.

"While I'm not complaining, because dinner was heavenly and dessert was even better, can you explain why I was needed here tonight?" I asked Carlos, snuggling closer to him as the limo pulled out of the parking lot.

"Because, Babe, we're a package deal," Carlos said as he rubbed his hand slowly up and down my thigh, inching my skirt farther and farther up. "If you hadn't joined us tonight, there is no way I would have spent this much time away from you." He slid closer to me on the seat and began placing soft, sensuous kisses on my neck.

I glanced toward the front and verified that the partition was up, before turning and giving Carlos my attention. I leaned into him, joining my lips with his, and quickly became lost in the sensations. Before I knew it, I was straddling him, kissing him with everything I had. My skirt was up around my waist, and his hands were kneading my ass with reckless abandon. I wanted more than anything to remove the barriers between us and claim him right there, but this was a client's car. As it was, I had a difficult time keeping my moans at a low volume.

The drive back to the apartment flew by, and I could tell by the massive bulge in Carlos' pants that he was as anxious as I was to get home. After tipping the driver and saying a quick "thank you", Carlos and I rushed up the stairs to the apartment, anxious to pick up where we left off. We stumbled, kissing, through the door, and if not for the sound of sobbing, I'm not sure we would have made it to the bedroom before devouring each other. Bridget's crying was like having cold water thrown on us. We looked into the living room and saw her on the couch with her face buried in her hands, with Les sitting on the coffee table in front of her whispering.

Carlos' hand moved to my shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. When my eyes met his, I had the distinct feeling that I might be joining Bridget in crying very soon. I felt my shoulders slump as I whispered, "Carlos?"

**Carlos' POV**

Damn it! When I told Les that we needed to fill the girls in ASAP about what we had signed up for, he wholeheartedly disagreed, and made me promise we would wait until closer to the end of our leave. He didn't want our news to ruin the few days we had with them, so I relented. And now this! He told Bridget without even giving me a heads-up. Now it was time for me to do damage control with Stephanie, and hope to salvage what was left of our time together.

Her questioning gaze and sad, "Carlos?" brought me out of my stupor and I led her to the bedroom.

"Please, Carlos. Tell me what's going on. Do you know why Bridget is crying? Is everything ok?"

"I have a pretty good idea why she's crying, Babe. And everything is going to be ok." I took her hand and had her sit on the bed. Once she was seated, I removed her sexy-as-hell shoes, massaging her feet as I took off each heel. I knew I was distracting her, but I couldn't resist. It wasn't easy to turn off what she had turned on in the limo.

"Carlos, as good as that feels, I think we should talk first," Steph said in that breathy voice that always went straight to my groin.

With a slight growl, I moved to sit beside her on the bed. "Babe." I had no idea how to start telling her that I had just signed up for one of the most dangerous jobs in the army. How do you tell the love of your life something like that?

"Carlos, please. You're scaring me."

"Babe, there are some things I need to tell you."

"Ok. I'm listening." She took my hand and gave me a small smile. She had no idea the strength she gave me.

"I told you a little about my new training when we Skyped on your birthday, but I didn't get to give you all the details." With a nod from her, I swallowed and continued. "While I am going through the Ranger training program, I'll also be going through a few other schools. So…"—I couldn't swallow. I had no spit left in my mouth and it had gone completely dry—"when I'm finished I will be considered Special Forces."

I looked to Stephanie to see her reaction, but she was just looking at me as if she was waiting to hear more. "Babe?"

"Um, well, what does that mean? Exactly?"

"It means the missions I will be called to go on will be...special."

"Special?"

"Higher risk."

"Carlos," she said taking a deep breath and grabbing my hand. "I am under no false impression that what you are doing is safe. It's war. And while I constantly have to remind myself that you will make it home to me because you promised,"—she paused and let her eyes meet mine, and I could see the tears she was fighting to hold back—"in the back of my mind, way deep behind my denial, I know there is the possibility that you won't come back. And while I understand that this new job will put you in more perilous situations, you could just as easily be one of those guys that runs over a roadside bomb and doesn't get to come home." By now tears had started to slip down her cheeks, driving me to wipe them away with the pad of my thumb. Her shoulders started to shake and she quickly put her hand to her mouth in an attempt to smother her sobs.

"Babe," I said, pulling her into my arms. I had no idea what to say to her. Everything she said was right. Me not coming home was a possibility, no matter what my rank or job. So many soldiers had lost their lives already, and every day there was the possibility that I wouldn't come home. It didn't matter if I was Special Forces or Private First Class. She was right, it's war.

Before I could say anything to reassure her, she pulled back from my embrace, squared her shoulders, and spoke again. "I love you, Carlos. More than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. And I have plans. Big plans for our future. So you are going to go and get trained to be the absolute best. And, because you are who you are, I have no doubt you will be the best. Then you are going to go, and fight to keep me and everyone we love safe. And then you're going to come home to me. And then we're going to get started on all those things that we've talked about wanting someday. Ok?"

I gave her my best smile and a small nod before agreeing, "Ok, Babe."

"Now, can we please, please get back to where we were headed in the limo?" she asked, giving me a saucy grin.

"Absolutely."

**Stephanie's POV**

I knew Carlos had been holding something back from me since he got home. I didn't think it was this, but I meant everything I said to him. He wasn't safe over there no matter what he was doing. But at least I knew he would have more training, and if that made him even slightly more safe, then I was glad he was doing it.

When I suggested we get back to where we were before walking in on Bridget and Les in the living room, the look in his eyes said he was more than willing to comply. Carlos brought his hands up to cup my face and looked deep into my eyes. His warm chocolate eyes spoke volumes as he brought his lips to mine. I could kiss this man all day, every day, for the rest of my life. The kiss went all the way down to my toes, and I couldn't help but lean into him as he deepened it even further.

His warm hands slowly unfastened the silk-covered buttons of my blouse. With each one, he would brush against my skin, causing goose bumps to erupt and moans to slip from my lips. It would never cease to amaze me what this man could do to me with just a whisper of a touch. Once all the buttons were open, Carlos ran his hand up my side, caressing my ribs before gently cupping my breast. My head fell back as another, louder moan slipped from my lips, when Carlos brought his mouth to the hollow of my exposed throat.

As he slowly slipped the shirt off my shoulders, he covered my neck with kisses, up to each earlobe and back down to the collarbone. He gave me a heated look as he took in my lacy blue Victoria's Secret bra, before using his nimble fingers to release the front clasp, leaving me open to him. His hot mouth was instantly on my left nipple as his fingers moved to massage my right one. Even though he was devoting nearly all of his attention to my breasts, he also managed to move me up to the middle of the bed, resting my head on the pillows.

I was on the verge of an earth-shattering orgasm when he removed his mouth from my breasts and began moving down my body. My mind was in a haze from the lust, and without even realizing it, I was naked and Carlos' mouth was on my hot center. I could feel the wetness already on my thighs as he inserted one and then another finger, running his tongue over my clit. That was all it took to send me over the edge, shaking and calling out his name. His fingers moved slowly in and out, riding out my orgasm, before increasing the pressure again and making me come a second time.

I groaned at the loss of his fingers when he removed them, only to then gasp in pleasure as his cock entered me in one hard thrust. When the hell did he get naked?! Carlos' chuckle led me to believe that I had spoken that thought out loud, but I didn't care at that point—I just wanted more of him. As if knowing exactly what I needed, Carlos lifted my right leg to his shoulder, shifting the angle of my hips as he drove farther into me, until I felt more full than I'd ever felt before. His pace was slow, despite my best efforts to push him to go faster, and it was agonizing. Just as I would get close to falling over the edge he would slow down further, pulling me back from the cliff.

Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, he sped up and pressed his thumb to my engorged clit, causing me to scream his name as my body shook and clenched around him. I was barely conscious as he lowered himself close to me, continuing his slow and steady thrusts.

"I love watching you come apart, Babe. It's filled my dreams for the last year, and the look on your face tonight will give me everything I need to make it through the next and bring me home to you. I want that 'someday', Babe, and with you, only you."

"Only with you, Carlos," I agreed as he increased his pace. His breathing quickly became labored, matching my own, and before I knew it he was grunting out my name and his seed was spilling into me, sending me off into oblivion again.

"God I love you, Babe!" was the last thing I heard before consciousness escaped me.

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	56. Chapter 56

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST! **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! I don't want to beg for reviews but I am missing some of you who used to review regularly. Are you still out there?**

_Previously:_

"_Only with you, Carlos," I agreed as he increased his pace. His breathing quickly became labored, matching my own and before I knew it he was grunting out my name, and his seed was spilling into me sending me off into oblivion again._

"_God, I love you Babe!" That was the last thing I heard before consciousness escaped me. _

**Ch. 56**

**Bridget's POV**

When I first heard the words "Special Forces" tumble from Les's lips, I thought my world would end. It had been hard enough with him just being in the regular army, but to voluntarily sign up for more dangerous missions—I didn't know if I could do it.

"You know how much I love you, Baby," Les said to me as he pulled me into his embrace. And I did. He loved me as much as I loved him. But that still didn't make this easier.

"Lester..."

"Please, Baby, please," he begged as he held me tightly.

"Les, I'm just so afraid for you. Those types of missions are so dangerous."

"I know. I'll be getting training to handle that level of danger. And I'm good, gorgeous, otherwise the higher-ups wouldn't have been so insistent about all this."

I nodded, unable to form words. It barely registered that Steph and Carlos had arrived home, but Les lowered his voice to a whisper as he continued trying to console me. His words didn't penetrate the fog my brain was in. I just kept envisioning the worst possible things happening to him, and it gave me head-to-toe shivers.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there with Les before I heard the tell-tale moaning coming from Stephanie's bedroom. I rolled my eyes at the noise. Not because I was annoyed; more because I was jealous. My head was definitely not in that place at the moment, even though my body wanted to be. Les stood up and went into our bedroom, while I sat and tried not to listen to Stephanie and Carlos' love-making. It was difficult—they were never quiet.

When Les returned from our bedroom he was carrying a duffel bag. I knew the shock I felt was written across my face: was he leaving me?

"Come on, Baby. I want some time, just you and me."

"Where are we going?"

"I called the Hilton and got us a room. And I packed you a bag."

I wanted to protest the expense of a hotel room and tell him it wasn't necessary. But his wanting to spend time together—just the two of us—warmed my heart and helped me to keep my mouth shut. I stood and took his hand, and let him lead me from the apartment.

After a day of constant attention and reassurance from Lester, my heart told me we would make it. We had to. I loved him more than I ever thought possible. I managed to put my worries out of my mind until Friday at Abuela Rosa's house, when we sat on her sofa and Les told his family of his plans. The fear I saw on his brother's face brought every doubt I had screaming back.

**Stephanie's POV**

When I awoke Thursday morning, it was barely light outside. Carlos and I had made love multiple times throughout the night, so I was surprised I was even conscious. When I thought about why I might possibly be awake, it hit me: this was my last day alone with Carlos. His parents would be arriving Friday morning, and he was scheduled to leave Saturday night for Georgia. Airborne school, which was set to begin Sunday morning, was his first step to becoming Special Forces. God, even saying the name made me want to throw up. I talked a good game to Carlos, although in truth, I was absolutely terrified. But I had to be strong for him…for us.

Deciding not to dwell on what I couldn't change, and to be as supportive as possible while enjoying every second I had with him, I began planning our last day together. And I was going to start it off right. It only took a few open mouth kisses to his deliciously naked torso for Carlos to awaken. He allowed me to continue lower, laving his scrumptious abs with my tongue as I inched closer and closer to his delicious cock. A tiny taste of the wetness at its tip was all it took for both of us to moan and propelled me to suck him into my mouth, drawing a gasp from Carlos. I continued my ministrations for a few moments before he was pulling me up his body. Before he could attempt to turn me over, I sank down onto his rock-hard shaft, eliciting another loud moan from both of us.

"God, Babe, you're so wet," Carlos said through gritted teeth.

I rode him with reckless abandon and it wasn't long before I was spiraling into outer space. He flipped me onto my back and, with three hard thrusts, spilled inside of me with a grunted "Babe", causing me to shout his name again.

Once our breathing returned to a semi-normal rhythm, Carlos said, "That is the best way in the world to wake up."

I smiled into his chest, unable to lift my head as tears threatened to fall from my eyes. I couldn't help but think that soon it would be too long before we would wake up like this again.

Sensing my need for a change in subject, Carlos asked, "Any idea what you want to do today, Babe?"

"I just want to spend it with you. How about we get some breakfast and then maybe go for a walk on the beach? After that, we can play it by ear."

"Sounds perfect, Babe. But first, I think you need a shower."

Before I could even feign insult, Carlos grinned, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me to the bathroom. The things he did to my body in the shower produced more steam than the hot water, and the water was cool long before we stumbled out.

We hit the IHOP down the street from the apartment before heading out to the beach, and immediately went to the secluded area where Les had taken me my freshman year. Hidden behind a cliff, it was deserted in January, giving us the privacy we desperately wanted.

We walked the beach for hours, stopping occasionally to just sit and enjoy the peaceful flow of the tide, trying desperately to show one another the love we shared, as we kissed and whispered promises of our "someday". After a quick trip to Subway for sandwiches, chips, and some drinks, we headed back to the ocean. The weather was a gorgeous, mild 70 degrees, and there was no better place we could have chosen to spend one of our last days together.

It was late afternoon before our talk turned serious.

"I really appreciate the support you've given me, Babe. I know how hard all of this must be for you. You know you don't have to be strong all the time, right? You can tell me how you're feeling."

His words instantly brought tears to my eyes. I tried in vain to hold them back, but he noticed immediately when they began to fall. He quickly pulled me into his lap, so I was straddling him, his hands cupping my face as he wiped my cheeks. My tears seemed never-ending, but finally slowed as he began kissing them away.

"I'm just so scared, Carlos. I don't know how I would survive if I lost you."

"I'm scared too, Babe. But knowing I have you to come home to gives me strength. I'm determined to make it back in one piece. And if you've ever known a determined Cuban, you'll know that's a very good thing."

I smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood. "Determined" didn't even begin to describe Carlos. I sobered as he took my face in his hands.

"I wouldn't survive if I lost you either, Babe." Carlos brought his lips to mine and kissed me with a passion that I felt in every inch of my body. He loved me...almost as much as I loved him. I knew this kiss would serve as a reminder when I needed to remember how much he loved me.

"I love you," I whispered when we finally broke the kiss for a breath.

Carlos adjusted me so that I was sitting between his legs, and we continued to watch the surf go in and out until the sun was beginning to set. He stood us both up and quietly led me to the Jeep to head home.

"What would you like for dinner, Babe?"

"Something quick, I don't care what."

"You ok?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Yes, but I don't want to waste a lot of time eating. I just want to be in your arms."

"Sounds like a plan, Babe."

XXXXXXXXX

On Friday, Carlos woke me in similar fashion to how I had awoken him on Thursday morning. After a quick, late breakfast, we headed to Abuela Rosa's house to meet the Manoso family. We hadn't seen Bridget or Les in a few days, so I hoped we would see them there. I wondered if Bridget had finally come to terms with Les becoming Special Forces.

When we pulled up in front of Rosa's house, she and Grandma Mazur were waiting for us. They made such a great pair, and I couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. I would be forever grateful to Abuela Rosa for being there for Grandma Mazur after Grandpa died. They seemed to keep each other young and served as a constant support system for one another.

They ushered us inside to a nearly silent living room. The only sounds were from Benji playing with his toy cars. Alex and Mari sat across from Bridget and Les, solemn-faced. Alex looked frightened and Bridget looked shell-shocked. Grandma and Abuela had escaped to the kitchen and returned carrying trays of snacks. They sat with us, each in a club chair, and the silence continued. Oh boy!

**Carlos' POV**

I was so proud of my Babe. Her strength never ceased to amaze me. She was afraid, no doubt about it, but she was going to be strong for me...for us. Bridget seemed to be taking the news rather hard, and Alex didn't seem very happy about it either. I felt badly for Les, and hoped that my parents didn't take it as badly as Alex and Bridget had. I knew they wouldn't be happy, but I hoped they could support me.

I never would have guessed their reaction when I told them.

"Carlos, I'm so proud of you, son," Papa said once I finished outlining the training I was preparing to start.

"Si, mijo, we are _both_ so proud of you!" Mama concurred.

Stephanie took my hand as I mumbled a "Thank you".

"We are _all_ proud of you and Les, Carlos," said Papa. "I have no doubt that you two will be the shining stars in your training groups."

"And Bobby too," Les added.

"Bobby?" Steph asked, glancing back at me.

"Yeah, he's going too. Sorry, I forgot to mention it."

"I feel so much better," Stephanie sighed.

"Huh?" Les said, keeping me from sounding ridiculous for voicing the same question.

"Knowing that there will be three of you having each other's backs," Stephanie said, letting a few tears slip through. "It makes me feel better."

I pulled her into my arms, as she tried desperately to stop her tears from falling. Once they were finally under control, she pulled back. "I'm sorry. These really are tears of relief," she said with a small smile.

The visit with my family was bittersweet. It almost felt like a holiday, with the massive amounts of food and the games and the laughter. Even Alex and Bridget came around and had a good time. It was nearing midnight when we decided to just walk down the street to Mrs. Mazur's house and sleep in her guest room, instead of driving back across town.

"You make sure this last night with my baby granddaughter is memorable for her," she said with a pat on my back as we walked in the front door of her house. I nearly choked as Steph let out a strangled, "Grandma!"

"What?" she asked, feigning innocence. "It's going to be a while before you get the studmuffin back in your bed. I just didn't want you to hold back on my account. I still have a few sets of earplugs from when my sweet Harry was around. That man sawed some serious logs in his sleep, God rest his soul," she said, crossing herself.

Steph whispered, "Thanks, Grandma," with a quick kiss to her cheek as she pulled me to the back of the house and into the guest room. Once the door was closed she collapsed in a fit of giggles. I sat down on the floor beside her and gave in to my own laughter. It wasn't long before a serious kissing session ensued.

Steph let out a moan that went straight to my groin as I pulled her from the floor and walked to the bed. I intended to make this a night to remember. After all, we wouldn't want to disappoint Mrs. Mazur!

**Stephanie's POV**

Saturday went by entirely too quickly, and before I knew it, I was kissing Carlos goodbye at the airport security line. He would be safe for now: he was only going to training, he was still in the U.S., I could write him letters, and he promised to call me when he was given phone privileges. I kept repeating those facts over and over in my head the entire way to the airport, along with the words, "I will not cry", but it did no good. I cried. I didn't bawl like a baby, but I did cry. He kissed away my tears and told me how much he loved me before heading through security and toward his gate.

Les gave me a quick kiss on the forehead and told me to take care of his girl, then turned and followed Carlos. Bridget and I held hands and watched them until they were nearly out of our sight, before they turned and gave us a wave.

"Three weeks, Bridget. Then we'll get them back for a week. We can make it for three weeks, right?"

She gave me a solemn nod as I led her out of the airport and to my jeep.

XXXXXX

It had been two weeks since Carlos and Les headed to Airborne school at Fort Benning. I had already received two romantic, if slightly naughty, letters from Carlos. He hadn't been able to call yet, and in his letters, he told me he doubted he would be able to, but the letters were enough for the time being. I loved reading and re-reading his words in his own handwriting. Something about it was just so much more personal than an email.

Bridget hadn't been feeling well for several days and hadn't made it to a couple of classes. Thankfully, we were in those classes together and I was able to share my notes with her and keep her on track. I assumed she had the flu, as she had been throwing up each morning, and sleeping nearly all day.

I never expected the conversation we had that Monday afternoon, one week before Les and Carlos were scheduled to return home.

"Steph?" I looked up at Bridget from the couch where I had been engrossed in one of my design books. I was killing two birds with one stone, working on a project for Donna while finishing homework. The look on Bridget's face told me that these things needed to wait.

"Bridge, you ok?" I asked as I stood and pulled her toward the couch to sit beside me. She shook her head "no" as she burst into tears. I pulled her into my arms in an effort to console her, unsure what was wrong.

"Oh God, Steph," she wailed, burying her head further into my shoulder.

"Is it Les? Did something happen at training?"

"No, it isn't Les. It's...I'm...I'm pregnant," she choked out with another sob that left me with my mouth wide open.

"But...how?"

That stopped her tears immediately as she stared at me.

"Ok, I know how. What I mean is, I thought you were on the pill?"

"I was. But do you remember that story on the news a couple days ago about the recall on birth control pills?"

I shook my head no. I didn't have much time for television these days. I was actually surprised Bridget had seen it.

"I saw it the other day when I was home sick from school. It was the same brand I used, so I looked it up online and mine was one of the recalled lots. Suddenly it started to make sense why I was so sick in the mornings and then felt better, but was so tired all day. I went to the doctor this morning. I'm not very far along, but I'm definitely pregnant."

"How far along is not very far along?"

"Less than a month. It must have happened right when Les got back."

I gave a knowing nod. Carlos and I had had sex practically non-stop the first few days. If their activity was anything like ours...well, I was lucky I was taking birth-control shots!

"Are you going to write Les? Or are you going to wait until next week?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Her tone was so ominous.

"What do you mean, Bridget?"

"I don't know if I'm going to keep the baby, Steph."

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	57. Chapter 57

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST! **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. You are all amazing! Thank you! I don't want to beg for reviews but I am missing some of you who used to review regularly. Are you still out there?**

_Previously:_

"_What do you mean, Bridget?"_

"_I don't know if I'm going to keep the baby, Steph."_

**Ch. 57**

**Stephanie's POV**

I felt like all the air was sucked from my lungs as I gaped at Bridget. Not keep the baby?

"Bridget?" I asked her, my bewilderment evident in my voice and, no doubt, on my face.

"Please don't judge me, Steph. That's the last thing I need right now," she said as tears spilled down her face.

"I'm not judging you, Bridget, I just don't understand. What do you mean, not keep the baby? I thought you wanted kids? I know how much you love spending time with Benji."

"I do want kids...someday. But not now. I'm almost finished with school and I want to have a career. Not to mention, Les is getting ready to go off to God knows where and won't be back for a long time, if ever. I don't want to be a single parent." She finished her thought with a hiccup and the tears she was fighting to control broke loose. I pulled her to me once again, in an attempt to console her.

"Bridget, I know it's scary, but I also know that you'll be a great mom. And Les will be a terrific dad! I'm not saying it'll be easy, especially when he isn't home, but Army wives do it all the time. And you won't be alone. You'll have a huge support system."

"But I'm not an Army wife, Stephanie. I'm only his girlfriend. I know that's from my own doing, but it's a fact. My parents are going to flip a lid when I tell them I'm pregnant. If I tell them."

"You're going to tell them. And even if they freak out a little at first, they'll still support you. They love you."

"I know that, Steph, I do. I'm just scared. And exhausted. And I want Les here!"

"I know, sweetie. He'll be here in a week. Promise me you won't make any rash decision before then. He deserves the right to know before you decide."

"But it's my decision. It's _my _body."

She was becoming irrational. I blamed the pregnancy hormones.

"I know it's your decision, Bridget, but you owe it to Les to tell him first. I'm not trying to tell you what to do with your body, but it _is _Les' baby. Tell him, and then see where things go from there, ok?"

She sat there for a long time with her head down; I wasn't sure if I had pushed too hard, or if she was even going to answer me. Finally, with a small nod, she whispered, "Ok."

XXXXXXX

That was an extremely long week. Bridget threw up every morning; each time, I brought her crackers and ginger ale to settle her stomach. I had called Valerie the night I found out about Bridget's pregnancy for some tips. And after I swore her to secrecy, she suggested the crackers and ginger ale. I'm not sure she believed me when assured her it was Bridget who was pregnant, not me, but she finally stopped pushing. I was certain she had kept it to herself since I didn't have my mother beating down my door or ringing my phone off the hook to find out if it was really me that was pregnant.

Carlos and Les arrived back in Miami on February 15th. Carlos had mentioned in a letter that he wanted to take me out for Valentine's Day that night. I wrote him back, saying I didn't need anything special, just him in my arms, but he insisted, in a follow-up letter, that he really wanted to. So after Bridget and I picked him and Lester up from the airport, we headed back to the apartment to get ready. Bridget had made me promise to keep my mouth shut as she wanted to tell Les in her own time, and as painful as it was, I obliged. At least I knew she hadn't made a rash decision, so I kept the news to myself and retreated to my room.

At six p.m., I was dressed in a flirty red spaghetti strap dress that fit snug in the bodice, with a skirt that flared out just above the waist, and strappy black sandals. Carlos had gotten dressed while I was in the shower, and left me a note on the bed to wait in the bedroom until he came back for me. I had just put on my shoes when the door handle turned. I stood quickly to show him my dress, but had to sit back down.

He took my breath away. He was dressed in a tux again, and he looked even better than he had a month ago. This time his tux was accompanied by a red tie that could have been cut from the same cloth as my dress. He was gorgeous!

"Babe," he said with a hushed sigh as he strode across the room and pulled me into a heated kiss.

Somehow I had enough wits about me to say, "If we don't leave now, we won't be leaving at all."

He nodded, his forehead against mine, and led me down the stairs to a waiting limo.

"Carlos?" I gasped in extreme shock. "This must have cost you…" but before I could finish my thought, Carlos chased it away with a deep kiss.

"No price, Babe," he whispered as he pulled away for air.

Unable to formulate words or thoughts, I only nodded and allowed him to guide me into the limo.

He held me close and kept me distracted until we arrived at the restaurant. Before I knew it, we were in the parking lot of Prime One Twelve on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. I had heard amazing things about this restaurant, not least of which were the prices. I didn't want to protest the expense, so I only gave a soft sigh as Carlos pulled me from the back of the limo and led me inside.

Our meal was fantastic, and incredibly romantic. We sat in the softest booth I'd ever been in, lit by candlelight, and shared a meal of appetizers and divine seafood. The limo ride home was even more enjoyable than dinner, and it took me a few moments to put myself back together when we arrived at our apartment. I was extremely grateful for the dark tint on the windows. It wasn't until we headed up the stairs to the apartment that I remembered Bridget's situation. I hoped her conversation with Les had gone well!

**Bridget's POV**

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God! That was the only thought going through my head the entire drive from the airport to the apartment. Not only was Les within touching distance, but he seemed even more gorgeous than ever. My hormones were in overdrive and it took every ounce of energy to _not_ jump him in the back of Steph's Jeep. We couldn't do that, not until we talked. But if Les kept giving me that crooked smile and flashing those green eyes at me, we might not talk the entire week he was home.

When Steph and Carlos went to get ready for their date, Les pulled me into my bedroom. I tried to keep my distance from him, but as soon as he took my hand I was a goner.

"Les, we should talk," I tried, in vain, to delay what my body was screaming for.

"We'll talk later," he whispered as his lips met mine.

He slowly lowered me to the bed and all thoughts of talking vanished immediately. His body pushed mine into the mattress and I realized how much I missed his weight on top of me. He kissed me slowly and deeply, until he had to pull back due to lack of oxygen. His lips trailed from behind my ear slowly down my neck, across my collarbone and down to my breast. As he pulled my nipple into his mouth and sucked...hard…a sharp pain shot through my breast. With what can only be described as super-human strength, I pushed him off of me and he tumbled to the floor.

The look on his face as he realized what had just happened would have been funny, but the reason my breast hurt was not.

"Bridget? Everything ok, Baby?"

Unable to form words as tears stung my eyes, I shook my head "no". Les leaped back up on the bed and instantly had me wrapped in his arms.

"What is it, Gorgeous?"

Fearing that if I didn't tell him now, I wouldn't have the strength to tell him at all, I whispered, "I'm...I'm..." I took a long pause before the word "pregnant" tumbled from my lips.

Les froze. I could feel the tenseness of his muscles and it seemed as if he'd stopped breathing.

"What did you say?" he whispered, after what felt like forever.

"I'm pregnant," I whispered back.

He held me at arm's length and searched my eyes. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he must have found it, for he broke into a face-splitting smile and pulled me into a huge hug. I melted into his arms before my thoughts went back to my initial reaction to the pregnancy. Wrapped in Les' strong arms, they seemed ridiculous now; but knowing he was leaving again in just a week, I had to tell him what I was thinking.

"Les, I'm not sure about keeping the baby," I choked out.

He instantly pulled back, keeping his hands on my upper arms, but putting distance between us as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if I can have this baby," I said to him with my head down. "I'm just getting started in my career. There are so many things I want to do before having a baby. And I don't want to be a single mom. I don't even know if I could do it. I know so little about babies." Thankfully, Les stopped me before I could get lost in my fears.

"Stop right there, Bridge. What makes you think you'd be a single mom?"

"You're leaving, Les. You aren't going to be here."

"Hey hey hey, I'll be here."

"No you won't, Les. You're leaving again in a week, and then again and again. You aren't going to be here!" And with that, I broke into tears again. Les, being the amazing guy he is, kept comforting me, even as I talked about getting rid of his baby.

"I can change that, if you want me to," he whispered.

"Huh?" I asked eloquently.

"I could get out of the Army."

"Oh Les." I was speechless. "You'd give up your dream? For me? For us?" I asked, placing my hand on my still-flat stomach.

"You _are_ my dream, Bridget. I want to marry you and I want to be a father. I love being in the Army, but I love you more."

I smiled as more tears slipped down my face, and then I pulled him back to me. "We're having a baby," I whispered just before my lips met his. When he whispered back, "We're having a baby", it ended our conversation. Les made slow, passionate love to me, and I knew I wanted this man for the rest of my life.

**Les' POV**

I couldn't believe it—I was going to be a daddy! And even though it meant the end of my dream of being a Ranger, I knew the adventure that was coming would be even better. I loved Bridget. Thoughts of making her my wife and having babies with her had kept me sane during my tour. And even though it was happening much quicker than I'd anticipated, I was ok with that. I couldn't wait to tell Carlos!

Creeping out of bed, I pulled on my shorts before heading to the kitchen to fix us some breakfast. I had eggs and bacon arranged on two plates with a glass of orange juice each when I headed back into the bedroom. Bridget's eyes slowly opened as I walked in. She gave me a soft smile before her face turned an odd green color and she sprinted from the bed to the bathroom. Unsure what was wrong, I set the tray of food on the bed and followed. She was spilling her guts into the toilet, so I quickly pulled her hair back and rubbed her shoulders. When she finally finished, I handed her a cool cloth.

"You ok?" I asked.

"Yeah," she croaked. "Could you grab me some ginger ale? And maybe a few crackers?"

"Sure. Be right back."

"Oh. And, I'm sorry but can you please get that bacon as far from the apartment as possible? It smells God-awful!"

I nodded as I turned and left the bathroom. The thought that certain smells might bother her hadn't even crossed my mind. I remembered Alex saying that Mari had a super-sensitive nose when she was pregnant. Most of his letters consisted of rants that he couldn't eat anything even halfway decent because the smell made her nauseous. I had laughed when I read that, but I wasn't laughing any more.

Carlos and Stephanie were cozied up to one another when I walked into the kitchen. Steph was up on the counter and Carlos was standing between her legs whispering something between kisses. I cleared my throat to get their attention, but it took three tries before they even realized that I had walked in. Carlos obviously needed more practice at being aware of his surroundings.

"Hey, either of you up for eggs and bacon? Bridget wasn't a fan this morning."

The grimace on Steph's face told me she knew exactly what I was talking about. "The saltines are in the pantry and there are cans of ginger ale on the second shelf of the fridge. How's she doing?"

Carlos looked between us, confused. Steph obviously hadn't told him yet. "She's good. We had a long talk last night." I smiled at Steph before turning to Carlos. "I need to know who to talk to about getting out. Any ideas?"

"Getting out? What's going on?" Carlos asked, looking baffled.

"I'm getting out, man. I'm gonna be a dad."

Carlos stared at me, shock evident on his face. "A dad?" He looked between Stephanie and me again, and was silent for a few moments before he spoke again. "I'm not sure who you would talk to, but I know they usually only let you out if it's an emergency."

"This _is_ an emergency," I stated plainly. "She needs me, and I've got to be here for her and the baby."

Carlos gave me a hard stare and then nodded. "I'll make some calls and see what I can find out for you."

"Thanks, man," I said as I grabbed the crackers and soda and headed back to Bridget. I hoped to God I could keep my promise to her.

**Stephanie's POV**

I felt a sigh of relief slip from my lips as Carlos turned to me. "Babe?"

"I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. You kept me so distracted yesterday, that honestly, it was the last thing on my mind."

"So, tell me now. What's going on?"

"Bridget's birth control pills were recalled, but the recall wasn't even announced until after you guys had left for Benning. She had been sick for about a week when she saw it on the news. She put two and two together and took a test.

She was thinking of…not keeping it," I whispered.

Carlos pulled me into his arms. "You know I'd be there for you, Babe, if we were in this situation, right? That you wouldn't need to do something like that?"

"I know, Carlos," I whispered into his chest. "I'm honestly so glad this isn't something I have to worry about right now. I want to have your babies, but not yet."

I looked into Carlos' eyes. I could see a question flying through his mind. Was he wondering if I had taken the same pills?

"So...what about you?" he asked, confirming my suspicion.

"I'm on the birth-control shot. I can't depend on myself to remember to take a pill every day. This way I get a shot every three months, and I'm good to go."

He nodded as held me tightly. I felt him exhale and knew he was relieved that we weren't in the same situation.

"How hard is it going to be for Les to get out?"

"Honestly, I have no idea, Babe. I hate that he feels like he has to leave. He was so excited about becoming a Ranger. But I'll do as he asked, and see what I can find out. For now," and he paused to give me a deep, passionate kiss, "let's eat some breakfast and get back to the bedroom."

**XXXXXXX**

**Les' POV**

Two days had flown by and it seemed like there was no way I could get out of the Army. I couldn't just quit: I had signed a contract. Four years! Granted, I was two years into it, but I was committed for at least two more, and more than likely it would end up being longer. In truth, I didn't really want to give up my dream. I was blindsided when Bridget mentioned getting rid of the baby, _our_ baby. The idea of her aborting my child made me speak before thinking.

And now I needed to tell her that it looked like I was stuck. Carlos had asked around, and the word was that my only hope was to talk to the Chaplain. He and I discussed any and every possible reason for early separation, but couldn't come up with anything plausible. Short of converting to another religion, such as becoming a Quaker or a Jehovah's Witness—which would _kill_ my mother—there was no way out. And even that would get me a general discharge instead of an honorable discharge, which would make my future bleak. I didn't want that, and I knew Bridget didn't either.

As I sat at the kitchen table over a cup of coffee, trying to figure out how to break the news to Bridget, I heard a blood-curdling scream that made me spill my coffee. I rushed to the bedroom and flung open the door, alert and ready to take on the enemy, and found Bridget crying hysterically. I moved to her quickly, pulling her into my arms in an effort to comfort her.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"I need to go to the hospital."

"Hospital? Why?"

She looked down, and my eyes followed hers. Her pajama pants were covered in bright red blood! Oh, God.

"Come on, let me get you changed first," I said frantically.

Carlos and Stephanie rushed in as I was helping her to stand. Stephanie gasped "Oh God" and helped me get Bridget to the bathroom. As we reached the door, Steph put her hand on my chest to stop me.

"Grab a clean pair of panties for her, a pair of comfy shorts, a shirt, and some slip-on shoes, ok? And you might want to go pull her car right up to the steps." She turned and closed the door. I was scared shitless, and following orders was the best thing I could do at the moment.

"I'll go move the car," Carlos said as I went to get the clothes Steph had suggested. I felt frantic and my hands were shaking as I rifled through her drawers. Finally I had what she needed and returned to the bathroom door. Should I knock or just go in? I'm not sure how long I stood there debating what to do before the door opened and Steph popped her head out. She gave me a sad smile as she took the clothes and shut the door.

I paced, waiting for an eternity, before Steph and Bridget emerged. Bridget's eyes were red-rimmed and a few tears had made their way down her cheeks. I pulled her out of Steph's grasp and led her to the front door, grabbing her purse off the hook in the hallway. After getting Bridget into the backseat with me, Steph hopped into the front with Carlos. As he raced to the hospital, the car was filled with an oppressive silence, broken only by the occasional sob from Bridget.

XXXXX

**Bridget's POV**

I couldn't believe this was happening. Les had assured me the baby was a good thing, and that we would be together forever. I had gotten over my fears and doubts about becoming a mother and felt myself getting excited about the baby. I was happier than I'd ever been in my life.

I hadn't slept well that night—I was cramping, similar to period cramps, but much stronger. I chalked it up to too much sex, after going for a few weeks without. Then when I woke up that morning, I felt exhausted and nauseous, and the cramps were worse. When I moved the blankets to get up and head to the bathroom, I couldn't contain my scream.

Les flew in the room, and didn't realize what was wrong until he saw that I was bleeding. I was already feeling the shock of what was happening, and wasn't sure that I could clean myself up before going. Thank God Stephanie was there. I loved Les, but this wasn't something I wanted his help with.

Stephanie was so patient with me. She helped me step out of my pajamas, and then kept warming a fresh washcloth and trading it for the one I was using. Reverberating through my head was the thought that this was all my fault: I'd caused this because I had considered getting rid of the baby. This was God's way of punishing me for my doubts and for the sin I would have committed if Les hadn't convinced me otherwise.

It barely registered when Stephanie pulled me into her arms and told me, "This is _not_ your fault, Bridget!" I nodded as if agreeing with her, but I knew she was wrong. This was _all_ my fault.

The doctor took forever before confirming that I had lost the baby. She said it looked like I had fully miscarried, which meant they didn't have to perform a D&C—thank God—and that if I wanted to, in a couple months we could try again. Les asked if there was anything special we should do, and she warned against sex for a few days, as I could still bleed and she didn't want me to risk an infection. Finally I was released, and we went to go meet Steph and Carlos in the waiting room. At that point, all I wanted to do was go home and sleep.

**Stephanie's POV**

I was worried about Bridget. She had slept nonstop since the miscarriage. Les would wake her up and force her to eat, but she would barely finish half a meal before burrowing back under the covers. He was worried too, especially about how she would handle him leaving, but he didn't have a choice. He had signed up, and there was no signing out.

Carlos and I were with Les as he explained the situation to Bridget, but she barely acknowledged him before saying she was tired and lying back down. He was heartbroken when he and Carlos caught their flight to Nashville, Tennessee. They were headed to Air Assault school at Fort Campbell, on the Kentucky - Tennessee border, and that was the closest airport. I was sad too, but for purely selfish reasons: Carlos and I hadn't been able to fully enjoy our week together. He was busy being a good friend to Les, who was taking the loss of the baby extremely hard, while I was trying to comfort Bridget. Our time alone was very limited, and while I knew he would be back in a few weeks, that didn't help much.

I berated myself the entire drive back to our apartment over being so selfish, and steeled myself for what was to come. I had to get Bridget up and out of bed before she was lost in depression and ended up flunking out. It wasn't an easy mission—although not even close to what Les and Carlos would face—but like Carlos, I wouldn't back down from it.

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	58. Chapter 58

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**Anita (FanFictionAficionado), THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! YOU'RE THE BEST! **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. I want to apologize for the long delay in postings. Real life has been throwing curve balls at me, and I never was very good at hitting those. I promise to do my best to get the updates coming more frequently again. I hope you'll stick with me. There is no way I'm not finishing this story.**

_Previously:_

_I berated myself the entire drive back to our apartment over being so selfish, and steeled myself for what was to come. I had to get Bridget up and out of bed before she was lost in depression and ended up flunking out. It wasn't an easy mission—although not even close to what Les and Carlos would face—but like Carlos, I wouldn't back down from it._

**Ch. 58**

**Stephanie's POV**

The two weeks that Carlos and Les were at Air Assault school were terrible. I exchanged letters with both of them as frequently as possible, while also trying to console Bridget. She had slipped into a depression and I wondered how she was going to pull out of it. I managed to drag her to class, but work was another story.

She was unfocused, and it was showing in her work. Finally Donna stepped in and told her to take as much time off as she needed, and that the job would be waiting when she was ready. I was impressed, of course, and even more so when Bridget told me she got her normal paycheck deposited in her account the first week. I knew Donna was wonderful, but this took my admiration of her to another level.

Bridget still wasn't saying much, and I heard her crying at night. Les told me she hadn't responded to the letters he'd written her, and he was concerned. I tried to get her to talk to me...about anything. But every time I even came close to the subject of Les or the baby, she shut down completely and would lock herself in her room for hours, or—once—two whole days. I realized pretty quickly that I couldn't push her too hard, and was counting the minutes until Les and Carlos came home. I prayed that Les could help her.

March 7th couldn't arrive fast enough, and when it finally did, I was thrilled. Carlos pulled me into a tight embrace and I knew that this was where I wanted to be for the rest of my life. I hadn't been able to convince Bridget to go to the airport with me, and Les noticed right away.

"Hey, Beautiful," he said, pulling me into a hug. "Bridget working?"

I gave him a sad smile before shaking my head. He had to know she wouldn't be working on a Sunday. "No, Les. She wasn't feeling well."

"Is she ok?" I could practically feel the worry radiating from his body.

As we made our way from baggage claim to my Jeep, I tried to explain Bridget's behavior the last two weeks. "She has me really worried, Les. She only leaves the apartment for class, and that's with me practically dragging her. She doesn't eat much and refuses to talk about the baby." I left out the fact that she refused to talk about him, either.

Les was silent the entire trip to the apartment. When we climbed out of my Jeep, he stopped Carlos and me. "Is there any way you guys could give us some time alone?"

"Sure, man. Just give us a call when you're ready for us to come back. Take your time," Carlos replied instantly.

I tried not to let my disappointment show at not being able to take Carlos upstairs and straight to bed.

"Come on, Babe," he said guiding me back into the passenger seat of the Jeep. "Let's go see if the Hilton has any rooms available."

I wanted to balk at him spending money that way, I really did, but my body was vibrating with need, so I nodded. His wolf grin told me he knew exactly what I was thinking.

Thirty minutes later we were pulling each other's clothes off in the comfort of our suite. I would have been more than happy with just a small room at the Motel 6, but Carlos insisted on the Hilton. And, since it was the beginning of spring break, a suite was all that was available. We fell into the huge bed in a tangle of limbs, each of us kissing any naked skin our mouths could reach. It was frantic and hurried and I just wanted him inside of me immediately! How Carlos had such control in a situation like that I would never understand. He slowed his kisses, making them deeper and longer each time. After trying, in vain, to get him inside of me, I relented and gave in to the slower pace.

We kissed languidly for what felt like hours, before he began his progression down my body. I could feel my temperature rising and the juices flowing from my pussy the closer he got. When his tongue reached that place I desperately wanted him to be, my hips bucked off the bed and I knew I wasn't going to last long. So did Carlos, as he continued his assault on my clit and thrust two fingers into my dripping center. Three hard thrusts and a strong suck to my clit were all it took to send me spiraling into orgasm. He didn't let up and continued his efforts, sending me quickly into orbit again. As my shuddering stopped and my breathing slowed, he crawled back up my body.

I wanted to turn the tables. I wanted to push him onto his back and take his delicious cock into my mouth and suck him dry. I wanted to, but when the head of his penis pushed against my opening, the only thought that remained was having him in me...NOW! I lifted my hips, pulling him further inside me, and released a moan as his cock filled me completely, hitting my cervix. I felt full and whole again for the first time in weeks. Carlos increased his pace, losing a little bit of that control he had exhibited earlier. It wasn't long before we were shouting out each other's names, his orgasm coming only moments after mine.

We lay in each other's arms and I realized, this was my forever. _Carlos_ was my forever.

**Les's POV**

When I entered the apartment I wasn't sure what to expect. But what I saw was way worse than anything I had imagined. Bridget had obviously lost some weight, and the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes spoke volumes. She was suffering.

"Hey, Gorgeous," I whispered. She turned her head and a small, sad smile crossed her face.

"Hey, Les."

I walked towards her and reached out to embrace her. I was shocked when she pulled away.

"Bridge?" I asked, truly puzzled.

"I can't," she whispered.

"Can't what, Baby?"

"I can't accept your comfort. This is all my fault, and I deserve to feel this awful."

"Baby," I started and saw her flinch. "Bridget, what happened is NOT your fault." I tried desperately to keep my voice level and calm. "It happened. It happens all the time. It's sad and horrible, but we _will_ get through this. And when the time is right, we'll try again."

Her sadness turned to anger in a flash. "Stop it!" she yelled. "Stop telling me it's going to be all right. You convinced me that we would be fine. That we could have our happily ever after and a baby and...THIS IS YOUR FAULT! I had made my decision to have an abortion. You convinced me that we could have it all, and like an idiot I believed you."

"Bridget—" I tried to interrupt, but she wasn't having it.

"NO! And not only were you wrong about having it all, but then you left me."

"I didn't have a choice…" I attempted to defend myself.

"There's always a choice. You decided that being here for me after we...after I lost our baby wasn't important enough to you. So you get to keep your dream and I'm left here to suffer."

"Bridge, I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize. Apologies won't bring back my baby and they won't change how I feel. I can't do this, Les. I'm not cut out to be an 'Army wife'. I'm sorry." The look on her face told me everything. I wouldn't be able to change her mind, but I knew I had to try.

"Bridget, please, can we just talk. I know we can make this work. I love you." I could barely get the words out past the lump in my throat that was threatening to cut off my air supply. She looked at me with sad eyes as she shook her head.

"We can't make this work, Les. I love you too, but I just...can't."

Unable to move, I stood frozen, staring at her beautiful face and seeing the life I wanted for us flying out the window. I moved to her and pulled her into my arms, desperate to change her mind, but she stood rigid, refusing to relax in my embrace. Not knowing what else to do, I kissed her head, released her, and turned and left the apartment.

XXXXXX

I woke up the next morning with a massive headache and no idea where I was or how I'd gotten there. Unable to focus on my surroundings, I felt panicked, until Alex came into view. Thankfully, he was carrying a cup of steaming hot coffee. Without a word, he handed it to me, and pointed out the bottle of water and Advil on the table beside the bed. With way more effort than should have been necessary, I managed to sit up, and downed three Advil and the water in seconds. As I moved on to the coffee, Alex began talking.

"Believe it or not, you look way better this morning than you did last night."

"I'm having a hard time remembering most of last night." Other than my conversation with Bridget, which was burned into my brain.

"When I got to Bugsy's to pick you up, you mentioned something about Bridget, how you didn't know how to live without her as part of your life, and that you hated the f'ing Army. Then as I was helping you into my house, you said, 'It wasn't my fault'. After that you passed out and I had to drag your ass inside and up the stairs."

"How did you know I was at Bugsy's"? I asked. I wasn't ready to address the rest yet.

"One of my friends saw you, and gave me a call. Apparently you were looking for a fight and he didn't want you to get in trouble. I rushed over to pick you up. Now tell me what's going on. Finding you at Bugsy's is the last thing I would have expected."

"Bridget broke up with me. Said it was my fault she lost the baby and that she wasn't cut out to be an 'Army wife'." My headache was now raging and I felt my stomach turning as the reality of what had happened last night sunk in. This sucked.

"I'm really sorry, Les. Maybe she'll change her mind. I know Mari said she's still really upset about the baby."

"I'm upset too, Alex. It was my kid. I was thrilled about being a dad. And all I've tried to do is pull her closer, but she's built up these giant walls and won't let me in. I know the timing of everything sucks, but there wasn't anything I could do about my training. I tried."

"I know you did, Les. And she knows it too. But sometimes women are irrational."

"Excuse me? Who's irrational?" Mari asked from the doorway.

"Impeccable timing as always, my love," Alex said with an exaggerated eye roll.

Mari gave him a smile and a kiss on the cheek before turning her attention to me. "You ok, Les?"

"No. I'm not."

I was done talking about it. Being married to Alex must have given Mari a little insight into Santos behavior, because she gave me a kiss on the head and pulled Alex out of the room. I finished the rest of my coffee, used the bathroom, and then buried myself back under the covers for a few more hours of sleep. Maybe when I woke up again, everything would hurt just a little less.

**Stephanie's POV**

Carlos' seven-day leave went by entirely too quickly. We spent the first two days locked in our suite. I was thankful that there weren't any softball games this week, and I had begged Coach Thompson to let me miss practice, after explaining that Carlos would only be home for the week. Because she knew my work ethic, she agreed, so I spent as much time with Carlos as possible. We ordered room service and I don't think we were clothed the entire time, with the exception of Carlos throwing on some shorts to retrieve the food. Occasionally I would slip on one of his shirts, since I had no other clothing with me. We hadn't anticipated not being in the apartment, but we made the best of it. We made love for hours, and just held tight to each other the remainder of the time. We talked about school, softball, and my work, and about Carlos' training and what he expected would happen when he was finished with the next round. He would be a Ranger, _my_ Ranger, and he would be deployed for at least a year. He wasn't sure how much leave he would have from the end of Ranger school until he was deployed, but he promised we would make the most of whatever time we got.

We were lying in sated bliss when Carlos' cell rang. We were surprised Les hadn't called sooner, but were even more surprised that it was Alex calling instead.

"Yo," Carlos answered. He listened intently, his face falling into a blank expression the more he sat there with the phone at his ear.

"Give us a couple hours, and we'll be there," was all he said before disconnecting. He hadn't even said 'goodbye'. We sat in silence as long as I could stand. I was dying to find out what had happened, but of course, since I'm not a very patient person, that was only about two minutes.

"Carlos?" That was all it took to shake him out of his thoughts.

He didn't say anything, just laid me back on the bed and started kissing down my body. Less than a minute later, I had forgotten all about the phone call and was lost in the sensation. He made slow, passionate love to me. He caressed my face, and gave me tender kisses as he moved slowly in and out of me. It was an intense affirmation of our love for each other. But after we climaxed, a feeling of doom came over me.

Carlos held tight to me, not speaking for a while, and then finally broke the silence.

"Bridget broke up with Les." I couldn't hold back my gasp. I knew she had been upset, but I hadn't expected that.

"Is he ok? Is she ok?" Judging by the look on Carlos' face, that was a dumb question.

"We should go, Babe. Alex said Les needs us."

I nodded. My thoughts went to Bridget. She couldn't be ok, but Les had been my friend first, and was Carlos' cousin, so I kept my thoughts about Bridget to myself and moved to get cleaned up. I would check on her as soon as I could.

After a quick shower, I tamed my hair into a ponytail, put on the clothes I had arrived in, and we headed out. We zipped across town without trouble and were greeted at the door by Alex and Mari. They quickly explained the little bit of information Les had given Alex, and then allowed us inside to attempt to comfort our friend.

**Carlos' POV**

I knew it was going to be bad, based on Alex's phone call. That was why I had taken the time to make love to Stephanie. I wanted to cherish what little time we had together, and I knew that time would be cut short once she knew about Les and Bridget.

Once we were at Alex and Mari's, I asked Steph to let me talk to Les alone. It wasn't that I didn't think that she could be of comfort to him, but I knew my cousin extremely well and I needed to get a grasp on how he was dealing with this.

I was somewhat shocked when I opened the door to the room he'd been staying in. He didn't seem to be a mess at all. Granted, he had his Army-trained "blank face" on, but he was up, dressed, and it looked as if he had showered and shaved.

"Hey, cuz," he greeted me as if nothing had happened. "What are you doing here?"

"Alex called. Steph and I came to check on you, see how you were doing."

"Me? I'm great. But I'm wasting my break! Bobby finally got his aunt and mom back down here from New York, so I'm gonna swing by and pick him up, then we're hitting the town. You guys wanna come?"

"Let me ask Steph," I replied. It was very obvious how Les was dealing...he wasn't!

"Sure, I'm gonna swing by Abuela Rosa's and then head out. Just give me a ring and let me know if you want to meet up."

I gave a nod and excused myself from the bedroom. Stephanie was waiting patiently—well, as patiently as she does anything—in the hall. When her eyes caught mine, I could see the questions flying across her face. I just shook my head: I didn't want to talk about it here. I took her hand and led her down the stairs and back to the front porch, where Alex and Mari were watching Benji play.

"That was quick," Alex stated when we stepped outside.

"Les seems fine. He says he's going out. I don't think he's dealing well, but it isn't something that can be forced."

Alex nodded. He knew first-hand what Les was talking about. "We'll see you guys around, ok?"

With hugs and promises to see each other soon, Steph and I climbed into her Jeep and headed toward the apartment.

**Stephanie's POV**

Waiting for Carlos to fill me in on his conversation was torture—almost as bad as waiting outside of the room while he talked to Les. I listened as he spilled his guts about Les and how he acted. He told me how he thought Les really felt, and I couldn't help but be broken-hearted for him. I hoped that Bridget would change her mind in time and that they could work it out.

When we got to the apartment, we ran into Bridget, who looked terrible.

"Hey, Steph," she rasped. Her voice sounded as if she had cried for two days straight. "My parents bought me a plane ticket, and I'm gonna go home for the rest of the week. Would you mind letting Donna know I'll be back to work soon?"

"Sure, no problem. Are you ok? Can we talk?"

"I can't. I need to catch my flight."

"Can I drive you to the airport?" Just as I asked, we heard a loud honk.

"That's my cab. I gotta go. I'll see you soon."

I pulled her into a hug, wanting to remind her that I was there if she needed to talk. She let me hug her, but her body remained stiff. Carlos and I watched her walk down the stairs to the cab before turning and going into the apartment.

"She looks worse than Les," Carlos said. "Do you think she's rethinking things?"

"I hope so. And I hope they can figure it out before it's too late."

XXXXXX

Carlos told me about going out with Les and Bobby while we showered. I agreed, and he promised that this wasn't going to interfere with our time together. He then proceeded to confirm that. When we finally exited the shower, my skin resembled a prune—but I was definitely feeling relaxed and happy!

While I finished my hair and makeup, Carlos went to make a call. I put on the cutest dress in my closet: a deep blue wrap that accentuated my curves and brought out my eyes, with matching FMPs that did wonderful things for my legs. The look on Carlos' face when I stepped out of the bedroom confirmed that I looked as good as I hoped.

"Babe," he said as he strode toward me. He pulled me into a searing kiss that warmed my body from the tips of my toes to the curls on my head. We were both breathless when he pulled away. "You look…" he paused to eye me from head to toe again before finishing, "…amazing!" He pulled me out of the apartment, saying if we didn't leave right then, we wouldn't be leaving for the rest of the week. I didn't have a problem with that suggestion; nevertheless, we headed out to meet Les at Abuela Rosa's.

Rosa and Grandma Mazur met us on the front porch. I hadn't seen much of the two of them recently, between work, school, and softball, and realized instantly how much I missed them.

"There's my baby Granddaughter!" Grandma Mazur practically shouted as we walked up the front step. As soon as I was in reach, she pulled me into a hug. It was so great to see her.

We went inside, and were treated to some cookies and tea: there was no way we would be allowed to leave without partaking—not that I wanted to—and then the three of us were on our way. Carlos decided he would be the designated driver, since he wanted to be able to keep a close eye on Les.

We picked up Bobby from down the street at his Mom's house and were off. First we went to dinner together at a little local restaurant that served the best Cuban food in Miami, other than Abuela Rosa's. The meal was amazing, but the company was even better. I listened as the guys riveted me with story after story about their training, plus a few—with some classified details omitted—about their deployment. I had heard a lot from Les and Carlos already, so those were mostly Bobby's stories. We talked about Cal and I told them about our recent contact. He would be starting SEAL training when he got back to the States from his undisclosed location, and he was beyond excited. It had been his dream to be a SEAL, and we were all happy for him. We hoped that his leave coincided with the guys' next break before being deployed again, although I doubted we'd be that lucky. After several hours at the restaurant, we hit Rave, the hottest new nightclub in Miami. Several of the girls on the team had talked about it, so we decided to give it a try.

The music was loud and the crowd was near capacity when we arrived shortly after ten. Les spotted a group of girls and immediately went to one and asked for a dance. Carlos pulled me along to the dance floor and molded his body to mine. I could feel every contour of him and it made my body temperature rise to near boiling. Occasionally, I would spot Lester. Each time he was plastered to a different girl, and looking more like he was having sex than dancing, but I suppose Carlos and I didn't look much different. I spotted Bobby a few times, too; every time, he was with the same girl, a cute brunette that looked barely five feet tall, with a chest that looked...heavy!

Carlos and I took a break to grab something to drink, and were resting at a table when Les and a blonde with a Barbie-doll body came over.

"I'm gonna get out of here, guys." Les and Carlos did some type of silent communication thing, and even though I could tell Carlos wasn't very happy about it, he gave Les a nod. I was surprised: I knew Les still loved Bridget, and I hadn't expected him to pick up some girl at the club. He was clearly in denial about how devastated he was, and was trying to bury his feelings.

Soon Bobby waved at Carlos from across the floor, made some sort of hand signal, and then turned and left with the girl he had been dancing with. Carlos and I danced to a couple more songs before we also headed home.

The rest of the week went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was driving Les, Carlos, and Bobby to the airport so they could return to Fort Benning for Ranger school. The school takes place at three different locations, and he promised to let me know when he moved to each destination, so there wouldn't be any delays forwarding mail. Our goodbye was tear-filled, and all I could think about was the day that I wouldn't have to say goodbye any longer.

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


	59. Chapter 59

**Disclaimer: Not mine! All the characters you recognize belong to JE, I'm just playing. While this is an AU story, it has the potential to possibly spoil or mention something from any of the books 1-18. **

**A huge thank you to everyone that has offered words of encouragement and support. I want to apologize for the delay. I won't even begin to explain all that has happened recently. I'll just say, sometimes RL really sucks. And sometimes it is really great. I have definitely had a combination of the lowest lows and the highest highs lately. For those of you who are still with me, thank you so much. I hope you'll continue to stick with me. There is no way I'm not finishing this story.**

**This chapter is without a Beta, so please forgive any errors. They are all mine.**

_Previously:_

_The rest of the week went by in a blur, and before I knew it, I was driving Les, Carlos, and Bobby to the airport so they could return to Fort Benning for Ranger school. The school takes place at three different locations, and he promised to let me know when he moved to each destination, so there wouldn't be any delays forwarding mail. Our goodbye was tear-filled, and all I could think about was the day that I wouldn't have to say goodbye any longer. _

**Ch. 59**

Sixty-one days! That's how long Carlos was gone at Ranger school. It felt like forever. We shared letters back and forth the entire time, and while I was once again comforted by the fact that he was safe in the United States, it didn't make the time apart any easier.

At the end of spring break, when Bridget returned from Kentucky, I had hoped her time at home would have helped her. It didn't. She still seemed as sad as when she left, only now she seemed even more closed off. It took her four days to say much more than a few words to me, and when she did, I didn't like what I heard.

"I'm going back home after graduation, Steph. And I gave Donna my notice. This is my last week there."

"Why, Bridget. You love working for Donna. And I thought you said you wanted out of Kentucky?"

"I did. I do. I...my mind is made up, ok? I'd really appreciate it if you didn't give me a hard time about this."

I could tell she was on the verge of tears, so I reluctantly let the subject drop.

I became distracted from Bridget's sadness with the news that Valerie had given birth to a beautiful baby girl. She was born on March 21 at 4 a.m. and weighed 6 pounds 2 ounces. She had a full head of brown, curly hair. Based on the pictures Mom emailed me (who knew Mom could email), she actually looked a lot like me. They named her Mary Alice. I wanted more than anything to go and visit, but with school, softball and work, my free time was non-existent. But they had plans to travel to Miami for graduation, so I would just have to wait.

XXXXXXX

Over the next couple of weeks, I tried to remain as supportive as possible with Bridget. I could tell she was depressed, but any time I tried to talk to her about Les or about the baby, she would clam up or completely leave the room. And anytime I mentioned Mary Alice she nearly had a breakdown. It wasn't until I cornered her on an airplane to South Carolina for a softball game that I finally got her to open up.

We were sitting next to each other and it took all my nerve to bring up the subject, but I was determined to get through to her.

"Bridget, you have to talk to me."

"I do talk to you."

"Not about anything important. You are my best friend and our conversations haven't gone past 'good morning' and 'can you get milk at the store' since..." 

"Stop, Steph."

"No. I'm not going to stop. I want to help you. Keeping everything bottled up inside isn't doing you any good." It was a harsh whisper, and I realized too late that I should quit pushing.

She shook her head no, with an angry, determined look on her face. "Please Bridget. Please talk to me."

I wasn't prepared for all that would come out of her mouth when she finally let it go. She looked at me with tear-filled eyes and practically yelled, "You want to talk? Ok, fine. I'll talk. What do you want to hear about first? About how miserable I am? About how I wonder on a daily basis how big the baby would be and how long it would take for me to show? About how I pray for the morning sickness, because it would mean I hadn't really lost the baby? The baby that Les was thrilled about! Did I tell you about how he talked to my stomach, and told the baby how much he loved it already? I dream about him talking to my stomach. About him holding a beautiful baby boy and giving me that huge, beautiful smile of his and telling me what a great job I'd done, we'd done. I can't get the look on his face when we found out I'd lost the baby out of my mind. He was broken, Steph. And I let him stay broken. I blamed him, when in reality, it's all my fault. What was I thinking? I should have just had the abortion like I wanted, until you talked me out of it. Then I wouldn't feel like a shell of a person walking around every day. Or how about how crushed I felt when I woke up the day after I got to Kentucky and had no less than five voicemails from people saying they saw Les leave that nightclub Rave with some girl. And that you were there with him? I hate you right now, Stephanie. Do you want to talk about that?"

By this point the entire plane was silent and Bridget was breathing heavy with tears pouring down her face. I didn't know what to say, or how to help her. She'd heard about Les at Rave. I knew that must have killed another piece of her. And she hated _me_ for it.

"I'm sorry, Bridget."

"I don't want your apologies, Stephanie. I just want you to leave me alone. I'll finish out the school year sharing the apartment with you, but only because I don't want to move now and then again in a few weeks when I move home. But I don't want to be your best friend anymore, and I want you to quit trying to "help" me. I don't want anything from you. You've "helped me" enough.

I stared at her for a moment, completely shocked. Then I nodded, turned my face toward the front of the plane and fought to hold in my tears for the remainder of the flight.

Since no one on the plane missed our conversation, I was thankfully given a reprieve from staying in the same room with her during the trip, and on our flight home we were at opposite ends of the plane. I hated what had happened and wished I could fix it, but saying I was sorry just didn't seem like it would matter. I knew it was going to be a long few weeks until the end of the semester.

And to make matters worse, in mid-April, I severely sprained my ankle. Which was going to put me out of softball for the rest of the season, unless we pulled off a miracle and made it into the end-of-season tournaments. It also meant I had to hobble around campus and to meetings with Donna, on crutches. Life was pretty crappy.

XXXXX

Carlos' graduation from Rangers school was May 14th at Fort Benning at 8 a.m. My graduation from the University of Miami was exactly 24 hours later. It was going to be tight, but there was no way I was missing Carlos' graduation. His family met Abuela Rosa, Alex, Mari, Benji and I at the airport in Georgia on Thursday night. We all stayed in a suite at the Marriott together. Grandma Mazur had really wanted to come with us, and "see all those hotties in uniform" but my family would be arriving from Trenton this afternoon, so she decided to stay so she could be there when they arrived.

On Friday morning I was practically vibrating with excitement. I couldn't wait to see Carlos! His sister, Celia grabbed my leg more than once as we sat, waiting for all of the graduates to come in to the auditorium. I guess the bouncing bothered her.

From the moment I spotted Carlos, no one else in the room existed. I had locked eyes with Bobby and Lester first, and gave them each a finger wave and a big smile, but seeing Carlos I could barely breathe. He literally took my breath away. His hair was cut short which only served as an accent to his strong jaw. He looked...amazing. I didn't hear any of the ceremony. I was lost, taking in each and every inch of him. It wasn't until Celia shook me and asked if I was ok, that I realized the ceremony was over. After that I wasted no time rushing to Carlos.

He pulled me into an embrace and I nearly lost it. With a watery smile, I pulled back and was able to say, "There's my Ranger," before his lips locked on mine. I have no idea how long we stayed locked in the most amazing kiss we'd ever had, before this Hulk of a man nudged Carlos, nearly causing us to topple over.

"Gonna introduce us, man?" The Hulk asked Carlos, with a huge smile.

"Steph, this is Tank. Tank, this is my Stephanie." Carlos said, never taking his eyes off of mine.

It took me a few moments to look away, but when I did, I couldn't help but ask, "Your mother named you Tank?"

That caused Carlos, Tank, Bobby and Lester, who had just walked up, to throw their heads back and laugh.

"No, ma'am," was his chuckled response. I couldn't help the stink eye I gave him. Did he seriously just call me ma'am?

"His Momma named him Pierre," Les said with a chuckle, pulling me out of Carlos' arms for a hug. "Hey beautiful," he whispered as he squeezed extra tight.

"Hi, Les," I returned, running my hand along his cheek. His eyes were still so sad.

"Hiya, Steph," Bobby greeted me. "Got any love for me?"

"You know I do," I said stepping into his strong arms for a hug. Man, a girl could overheat with all this testosterone.

As I was being passed around, Carlos was greeting his family and thanking them for coming. After what felt like forever, Carlos pulled me back into his embrace, which was exactly where I wanted to be. "I missed you, Babe," he whispered into my ear, his warm breath sending a current straight to my center. God, I'd missed him too.

"Let's go get a bite to eat before Stephanie and Carlos have to catch their flight," Ricardo announced to the group. Bobby's mother and aunt had joined us, but it seemed Tank was the only one without family there to support him.

"Tank, dear," Maria started, "would you like to join us or do have family here?"

"No family, ma'am. And I'd love to join you, if it isn't too much of an inconvenience." Carlos gave me a squeeze at Tank's answer. I was sure there was a story behind that, that he would fill me in on later.

Lunch was perfect. We were at one of those hole-in-the-wall, best food around, Mexican restaurants. And while it wasn't nearly as good as Abuela Rosa's cooking, or Grandma Mazur's, it was very yummy. And it was great to hear some of the stories that Tank told us about their Ranger training. Mostly he was giving Carlos, Les and Bobby a hard time, which lead to a lot of laughter from the family.

Carlos was practically glued to my side through the meal, and kept rubbing his hand up my thigh. The sun dress I was wearing made it convenient for his nimble fingers to reach the promised land. Thankfully, my normal moans during meal time were a good mask for the real reason I was moaning at the table. Although, Tank had never heard me at meal time, so he kept throwing us suspicious looks. At one point, I was able to completely stop the conversation. But in my defense, the dessert was delicious... and a perfect cover.

The flight back to Miami was scheduled for late afternoon for Carlos and I. Everyone else would be flying out later that night, as they couldn't all get on the same flight as us, and chose to wait until later to be able to travel together. The flight was very quick, thankfully, as it took all my will-power to keep my clothes on, and it wasn't for a lack of Carlos trying to disrobe me. Instead, I convinced him to tell me more about Tank. His parents had died when he was a little boy, and he had been raised by his Grandmother. She lived in New Orleans, where she raised him. He had joined the Army right out of high school, which thrilled her. She was incredibly proud of him, and always made a point to tell him. She had told him she could see him being in Delta Force one day, which was his new goal, since she passed away during Hurricane Katrina. I felt terrible for him, but Carlos said he is surprisingly strong about it. "Apparently, his Mammie raised him right."

When we arrived in Miami, we were in a mad rush to get to my Jeep and head to the apartment. Carlos couldn't drive fast enough, his hand on my thigh and my lips on his neck until we finally pulled in and rushed from the car up the stairs. We stumbled into the apartment, kissing each other. Literally...stumbled. There were suitcases just inside the door that we tripped over. All that Ranger training, and we were clumsily unaware of our surroundings.

As Carlos helped me up off the floor, Bridget came around the corner.

"Oh. Sorry. I thought I'd be gone before you got back." Bridget's tone was as icy as it had been since our confrontation on the airplane.

"Gone?" Carlos asked, truly puzzled. I hadn't mentioned our fighting to him, as I didn't want to take away any of his focus."

"Yes. I'll be out of here in just a few minutes," she replied before turning back towards her room.

Carlos gave me a questioning look and I sighed before dropping my head. This was not what I had hoped to be doing right now.

"Babe?" He asked when I didn't say anything.

With another heavy sigh, I lead him into the bedroom. "Wait here for a sec?" I pleaded. His slight nod was all I needed to leave the room and close the door behind me. I headed back to the living room, where Bridget was filling her arms with her belongings.

"Need any help?" I asked barely above a whisper. My throat was clogged with unshed tears, and I wasn't able to speak any louder than I was.

"Nope."

"Bridget, I'm so sorry about,"

"I don't need your apologies Stephanie. And I don't want them."

"Ok. Good luck in Kentucky. And I want you to know that no matter what, I'm here for you."

"Yeah, thanks," she replied before opening the door and taking her first load out. She didn't even look at me.

I sucked back the tears, and headed back to my room. Carlos was sitting on the edge of the bed when I walked in. One look at my face and he was next to me in an instant, pulling me into his embrace.

"Babe, what is going on?" The tears I had been holding back broke loose on a sob. Carlos held me tight, rubbing soothing circles on my back as I tearfully told him all that had happened with Bridget since they left for Ranger school. He held me extra tight when I got to the part of the confrontation on the airplane.

I lost track of how long Carlos held me. I was nearly asleep in his arms when he said, "I'm so sorry, Babe," startling me and causing me to jump.

"I'm ok. I wish our friendship wasn't ending like this, but there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it." I leaned my head up and kissed the underside of his jaw. Slowly I kissed along his jaw line and up to his ear, before sucking the lobe into my mouth, eliciting a gasp from him.

He shifted us both, pulling me onto his lap so that I was straddling his hips. He had aligned us perfectly and I could feel his hard, throbbing cock at my center, and I couldn't contain the moan. His lips found mine and the kiss was deep and passionate. My hands found his taught stomach under his tight green shirt, as his hands found my ass. He was kneading my cheeks, his fingers pressing deep and causing my panties to soak. In a flash, Carlos flipped us and I was on my back underneath him. Just as his hands moved to lift my shirt, my cell phone rang and we both froze. I groaned. How could I have forgotten to call my mother.

"Do you need to get that?" Carlos asked, slightly out of breath.

"Unfortunately, if I don't, she won't quit calling until I do."

Carlos flipped onto his back, allowing me room to jump up and grab my phone. A quick glance at the caller id confirmed my suspicions and I answered with a, "Hi Mom."

"Stephanie, this is your mother." Um, duh! "Where are you? We were expecting you at your Grandmother's house thirty minutes ago."

A quick glance at the clock showed that it was much later than I thought. "I'm sorry, Mom. I lost track of time. Carlos and I will be there shortly. Is there still dinner left, or should we grab something on the way?"

I knew there was food left, there were always leftovers, but I also knew I was suddenly starved and wanted to be sure.

"Of course there is dinner left. We will see you soon." And she disconnected. Wow! I guess Burg manners don't carry all the way to Miami.

"We've got to go," I said to Carlos, trying to convey how much I hated that we couldn't just pick back up where we left off. "We were supposed to be at Grandma Mazur's house a half an hour ago for dinner.

"It's ok, Babe. We'll pick this up when we get home." And with a heated kiss to confirm his words, he dragged me out the door and to the Jeep.

On the drive over to Grandma Mazur's, I asked the question I feared the answer to. "How long do I get to keep you?"

Carlos glanced at me, trying to judge my question. "It isn't a guarantee, but we should have a month before I'm deployed."

"What do you mean, it isn't a guarantee?"

"They could call us in early for any reason and we have to go, no questions asked."

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say. I understood, it was what he signed up for. But that didn't mean I liked the thought of him leaving early. I really hoped nothing came up and that I got an entire month with him. The rest of the trip was spent in comfortable silence, Carlos' hand on my thigh rubbing soothing circles and sending electricity straight to my pussy. I hoped the visit with my family went quickly, as I couldn't wait to get back to the apartment and back to where we were before we were interrupted.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The visit with my family was enjoyable. My mother seemed far more relaxed than she ever had in the Burg. Valerie looked amazing for having her second baby less than two months earlier. Her blonde hair was shorter than normal, mimicking Faith Hill's shorter style from a few years before. When I complimented her on it, she blushed and said it was much easier to keep up with that short. Luckily for her, she didn't have my messy curls and could just throw in a little product and it lay perfectly.

Joe Morelli looked healthy and happy, and he played the part of doting father and husband very well. I was actually very surprised. It certainly was a drastic change from the Joe I knew...before. Mary Alice was an adorable baby and I couldn't help but fall in love with her as I held her in my arms. Of course, I fell even further in love with Carlos when I watched him hold her. Angie had grown so much since I last saw her. She had a smile that wouldn't quit and showed no signs of the terrible twos. I made sure to compliment Val on what an amazing job she was doing. Dad was his normal quiet self, but made sure to mention that he was proud of me and took Carlos out back for a talk after dinner.

Thankfully, the excuse of having to be at graduation early the next morning was legitimate enough to get to go home at a decent hour. Carlos may have broken a few laws getting us back to the apartment quicker than normal, but when his mouth captured mine in a passionate kiss the moment we walked in the door, I forgot all about the four lanes of traffic he crossed to grab the last exit.

We made love for hours. The first time was fast and furious, fulfilling a need that had built for the 61 long days that we were separated. But after that, Carlos took his time loving every inch of my body and I returned the favor. His body had changed since the last time I explored it. Every muscle was even more defined, which I hadn't thought possible. His hips seemed even slimmer and his ass was rock solid, along with another part of him – but that part hadn't changed. When we finally let exhaustion overtake us, it was with a smile on both of our faces.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Graduation was wonderful. I was proud of my accomplishments, and loved that all of my family, including the Manosos were there for it. I considered Carlos' family mine, and it made me feel special to have such a loud cheering section. I was only mildly surprised to see Donna at graduation. She came bearing gifts of flowers, a card and a declaration. She was giving me the month off...paid! She told me to enjoy the time I had with Carlos, but to come back in a month ready to hit the ground running. I think I nearly squeezed the life out of her as I hugged and thanked her profusely. How she knew Carlos had a month before deployment was a mystery, but one I was eternally grateful for.

After a celebratory lunch with both families, Carlos and I headed back to the apartment. My parents wanted to get some sleep before their long drive back north and the Manosos wanted some time with Rosa before their flight the next day. In truth, I think the Manosos would have loved the time with Carlos, but knew that I wanted as much of him as I could get. I was very grateful to them all.

As Carlos and I headed back to the apartment, I felt like I was floating on a cloud. One month with Carlos, with no worries or other responsibilities. Just us. I couldn't wait to plan what we would do. Ok, I would wait, and in fact, I did wait. Until the next morning.

**TBC...**

_**Author's Note: I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter. **_


End file.
